Lost
by Seltap
Summary: When do you consider a person lost? For Nami, it's the young man traveling alongside with her. Luffy x Nami
1. Chapter 1

Nami labored her skills onto the small boat. Skillfully and quickly preparing for her long departure, all in the same time keeping mouse so as not to wake the others.

She watched as the boats head bobbled and rocked against the dancing waves. Moving to the sound of the pounding rain and drumming thunder. She sighed as she lifted another heavy bag and planted it onto the boat, thinking all the while at what she was doing. She quickly wiped away any forming tears.

Now was not the time.

Now, she had to act quickly. Now, she had to do what was right in her mind. Now, she was leaving them.

'_Again…_' She painfully thought as she let the tears resurface.

Her lips curled tightly back and she quickly threw her head away to hide her own raindrops. Nami forced herself to swallow down the pain before turning back to the last cargo. Allowing herself a deep breath before speaking to it.

"Come."

She hated herself for speaking to him like that. Ordering him to her like he was nothing but a common mutt. She was slightly relieved to see him pay no heed to her command and instead stare out into the night's storm. Still, she would not ignore his silent cries for help. She knew deep down that he was screaming from the bottom of his heart at everyone, at her, to help him, and that was exactly what she planned to do. Even if it meant leaving the others for some time, she was going to get this last bag on board.

"Come on." She quickly spoke.  
"Luffy."

She was surprised to see him take a step back. Her heart gave a small leap to such a small action as this. She looked up to his blank eyes with a set of her own faded pupils. She would not let him see her cry for him this time. She would show no pity to the boy she called captain, she knew deep down that neither of them wanted that. He only blinked his empty stare again before speaking.

"This is wrong."

Nami let a small breath of relief pass. Perhaps she didn't need to do this. Maybe now he was actually fighting against his emotional bonds. His eyes quickly moved from hers and onto the open sea. She watched as they darted up and down and frantically at the scene taking place. The lightning cracking when he brought another foot back.

"This is wrong." He whispered again as his eyes continued to dance with the waves.

Nami only watched on, intrigued. Not letting her flame of hope burn brighter for what Luffy was now doing. She was glad to finally see him choosing his own path once again, but she also knew that this may be something too good to be true. Still, his small step back felt like a golden, jeweled crown to her. She was finally seeing him do something _he _wanted to do, and not what others told him.

'_Too long…_' She thought as she looked back up to Luffy's darting eyes.

Too long had he been like this for Nami. Far, far too long, though, she could still play the scene that started this tragedy in her head. She could recall the actions and words that lead her to her decision tonight, and she could still hear those whistles. Those god awful whistles that had started it all. Nami sucked in her breath as Luffy's eyes returned to hers. Would he say "No"? She continued to watch as he blinked his blank stare, not even caring that her mind drowned out the loud thunder behind her.

She furrowed her eyes when she saw his lips move to answer her. The sounds of past drowning him out.

* * *

"_Sanji-kun, I need you to take care of the back!" Nami called out over the loud whistles._

_"Aye, Aye, Sir!" Sanji answered as he kicked a cannonball back to its master._

_Nami cringed as she watched and listened to the giant ball fly past her before crashing hard into the sea. All around her she could hear nothing but booms, whistles, explosions, and damage. She scowled when she eyed the enemy ship, rising with each wave closer to Sunny. Though she knew her boys were doing their best to send each cannonball back, it wouldn't be too long now before their ship lined up with their own._

_"I've got to tell Luffy." Nami whispered and watched as another ball fell to the sea ahead of her._

_Nami quickly carried her feet towards the front of the ship. Though the scene around her was something most people would consider dangerous, she kept her cool and only paced her way instead of dashing. These attacks were now something much too familiar, and for her to tell herself otherwise was completely idiotic. They had been in this situation far too many times for her to count, but it was obviously enough times for her to feel comfortable and not worry at all about her well being. _

'_Besides,' she thought with a smirk, 'Luffy and the others can handle this.'_

_Nami raised her chin in pride at the thought of her strong crew now fighting. Though it was indeed their strength that had saved her butt multiple times, she couldn't help but feel that a big part of that was because of her. Even now, it was she that was throwing the orders and not her carefree captain. It was that thought that made her happy. Though she would never let herself overly abuse it, Nami loved the power she had over this ship. _

_Fists may be Luffy's strength, but knowledge was her specialty. _

"_Yo-ho-ho-ho! Nami-san, you shouldn't be here!" _

_Nami turned to the voice and watched as their newest member brought up his shikomizue to slice at the cannonball._

"_Yo-ho-ho-ho!" He laughed as the ball flew past him in two separate pieces._

_He champed his teeth before making his way to the orange haired girl._

"_If this keeps up, we'll soon be dead!" Brook spoke as he swung his cane around.  
"Ah! I'm already dead!! It's a skull jo-GAHA!"_

_Nami sneered as she watched Brook silence to the fist in his face._

"_Where's Luffy?" She asked as she brought her fist back._

_She smirked when she saw the newly formed crack under the skeleton's eye._

"_Luffy? Hmm." Brook hummed as he stared out towards the front of Sunny.  
"Ah! I remember now!"_

_Nami sunk her shoulders down when Brook's bony fingers found rest on them. She was disgusted when he answered her in his unusual, deep tone._

"_I'll tell you if you please show me your panties." He offered as the whistles continued around them.  
"Oya-OYA! Kidding! I'm only kidding!" He spoke as he quickly took a step back from Nami's risen fist._

_Brook quickly pointed out towards Sunny's head._

"_He should be around there!"_

_Nami nodded as she turned and stared towards the spot. Frowning deeper as she watched the other ship now only a few minutes away._

"_Stay here and try not to let Sunny take too much damage!" Nami ordered before pacing her way to the front._

"_Yo-ho-ho-ho!" Was Brook's only answer as he again got his cane ready for another round shot._

_It was only a few feet more before Nami made her way to the front. She sighed as the balls whistled around her, but no sign of Luffy anywhere near. She again peered out towards the enemy. _

"_It won't be long now." She clicked her tongue in annoyance at the thought._

_She didn't mind these kinds of attacks. These she just had to sit back and let the others dance to her words, but close counter ones she hissed at. It meant she couldn't hide behind the others, and it did call for her to use her Perfect Clima Tact at many a time. She knew it was obvious to the world, and she didn't care. She hated fighting._

"_Nami, watch out!"_

_Nami turned as she listened to Luffy's cry, expecting him to be shouting at her back. Instead she was greeted by a large steel ball hurtling towards her. It whistled loudly as she took in a deep breath of shock. She knew her brains wouldn't be fast enough to save her this time. She gasped lightly when the grey, ugly ball in her view was replaced by a giant red and tan balloon._

"_Luffy." She gasped as she fell to her bottom._

_Silently grateful as she watched the cannonball bounce into his swollen chest before racing out to crash into the sea._

"_Nami!" Luffy called again as he turned and lowered to the fallen girl.  
"Are you alright?"_

_Still in shock, Nami held her heart as she tried to even out her breaths. The near death experience causing her eyes to pop out and her heart to race._

"_I'm okay." She managed to squeak out as Luffy held her shoulder._

"_You better be!" He grinned as he brought her arm up to raise her._

"_Thank you, Luffy." Nami whispered as soon as her phase of panic began to slow._

"_Shishishi. The look on your face!" Luffy chuckled.  
"I-I-I mean you're welcome!" He corrected himself when Nami's glare met with him.  
"I won't let them hurt you, Nami. You're Nakama."_

_Nami couldn't help but smile lightly to his words. Even in this predicament, Luffy always knew what tone and words to use to calm her down. Sometimes…_

_The two quickly turned when they heard a loud bell go off in the distance. Nami furrowed her eyes as she realized she could make out the crew on the enemy's ship. That bell was a signal, she knew. A signal to let the crew know that they were needed to prepare to fight._

"_We need to find Franky." Nami quickly spoke as she turned back to her captain.  
"Luffy, I need you to-EH?! What're you doing?!"_

_Luffy only grinned as he listened to Nami screech in front of him. He quickly raced a few feet more back behind the mast, stretching his arms out so that they would fling him the right distance away._

"_I'm going to kick that captain's ass!" Luffy called to answer back._

"_No-no-no-no!" Nami repeated as she raced towards him.  
"We'll just have Franky get us out of here! We don't need to fight!"_

_Nami panicked as she reached Luffy, who only growled and ignored her words. _

"_Nami." He spoke again as he turned to look at her, his growl turning into a grin as he met her eyes.  
"We can't run away now! I won't let him get away with this!"_

"_W-with what?" She questioned as she watched his emotions play in his eyes and words._

"_He put giant holes in Sunny! He attacked us! He tried to hurt my nakama!" Luffy growled as pulled harder and stretched his arms more._

_She could see the fire of anger flicker in his eyes. Luffy, it seemed, for her was one of the easiest people to read when it came to his feelings. She could easily tell when he was happy, angry, disgusted. He always knew how to express it in a way that let everyone know, and for some reason Nami enjoyed the knowledge of that. His actions on the other hand, were a completely different story._

"_He tried to hurt you!" Luffy shouted as he let go of the giant mast._

_Nami gasped as she watched Luffy fly through the air and disappear as he drew nearer to the other ship._

"_Luffy!" Nami cried out as soon as his distant body was gone.  
"BAKA!" She screamed before turning back to find the others._

"_Luffy!" She screamed again as she raced up the stairs and through corners.  
"I'll never forgive you for this!!"_

* * *

"_Go find him!!"_

"_NO! I'm staying here, there's too many of them!"_

_Zoro hissed at his navigator, bringing his katanas up to hold back an enemy. Usually the sight of being out-numbered had no affect on Zoro. He could admit he actually liked the idea._

'_But this…' He thought as he brought the fighter down and prepared for another one.  
'This is different…'_

_It was rare to find fighters who put their fear behind them when they entered a battle. Something Zoro admired during a duel. So when the seventh person drew their swords up and charged towards him with no feeling holding them back, he knew this was a fight they had to run. The way their glossy eyes didn't shine with feeling, and the way their frown never seemed to even curl once was such a rare sight that Zoro had to admit that their teacher was definitely skilled in his way of teaching fighting art. Still, even as he watched the men fall as he sliced, he could see their eyes hold no remorse, nor admiration. They would die with the same feeling they carried when they charged at them. A feeling of nothing._

_Zoro hissed as he turned to look at the rest of his crew mates fighting. The same thought coming to him when he saw their enemies. None of them would scream a cry of charge or bellow out a cry of defeat, they would just attack. Not letting anything hold them back, including their emotions, and for that reason he knew they were in trouble. To fight someone who could not be held back even by themselves was a dangerous thought and sight. Handling a few of them like that was no trouble for their crew, Zoro knew that and had even been sent into that scene a multiple of times. But to fight hundreds of them was something he knew they couldn't beat._

"_Find Luffy!" He screamed again as he watched the girl struggle._

"_We can find him later!" Nami argued as she let Sanji dash for her attacker._

"_Damn it woman!" Zoro growled as he reached to turn Nami towards him.  
"We can't win this!" He spoke harshly but truthfully, watching her face drop to his words._

"_What do you mean we can't win? You guys-" She was cut off as Sanji too turned to her._

"_Marimo Head is right... We can't beat all of them like this." _

_Nami gasped as she watched the two men nod at each other in same thought._

"_I thought you two were strong! I could bring Luffy and-" Again she was cut off._

"_Nami-san, you don't understand. These men are dangerous." Sanji bit into his cigarette and turned to send a powerful kick towards another man._

_Nami turned to Zoro for answers. He only shook his head as he spoke._

"_It's hard to explain. Luffy will probably understand."_

"_BUT!" Nami tried to argue as she watched the swordsman turn from her._

"_Find Luffy, and bring him here!" He ordered again.  
"…Hurry!" He cried when he saw Nami not move to his words._

_Nami quickly turned and watched as the others fought. She had to admit these men were surely stronger than most she had taken out, but she couldn't quite put her finger on the reason why. It seemed to her both Zoro and Sanji knew, and for that reason she now feared that Luffy may be in trouble._

"_No." She whispered to herself.  
"He's strong. He's alright. It's us that need to worry."_

_Nami wrapped her fingers tightly around her blue weapon._

"_I'll be back!" She yelled as she ran down the ship._

_Grateful to both Zoro and Sanji making a path for her as they charged for her enemies._

"_Be careful Nami-san!" Sanji called out._

"_Be fast!" Zoro hissed as he felt himself being pushed back._

* * *

"_Where is that idiot?!" Nami questioned as she ran down the next hall._

_Already it had been ten minutes of searching this ship while the others fought, and it was frustrating her to no end. Had he already beaten the captain and returned to the others? Were they looking for her now? Had Luffy somehow been bea-?_

'_No!' She shook her head and refused to let that thought finish._

_She would find Luffy! She would find him grinning at her and asking what she was doing. She would definitely meet him and a beaten up captain and he would definitely agree to come with her to help the others. Grinning at her first and then scowling when he heard that his nakama was in trouble. She knew that was how she would meet him and how he would greet her. So when she turned towards the front deck to see Luffy crying out and throwing punches, she was more than slightly surprised._

_She dared not call out when she saw him growl at another man. Surely the captain of the ship. Nami watched on, in secret, as the two dueled. Luffy using his fists while the other let his butterfly swords swing and trace red on her captain._

'_Luffy,' she thought as she watched him cry out in pain, 'you should have beaten him by now!'_

_She turned her eyes to his enemy, fascinated the he had kept Luffy busy this long. It was interesting to see him not at all look like most captains she had encountered. He reminded her greatly of Sanji with his white suit along with his white tie. All of which was now splattered with red of blood. She watched on as he picked his white shoes and swung towards Luffy, his white hair breezing back when he again sliced his swords at him. He looked so simple in her eyes, everything was white, somewhat tidy, and overall plain._

_She now looked up to the features on his face. It took her a few minutes to realize the similarity of him and his crew. Their faces just never seemed to move, they were all expressionless, quite plain._

'_It's like…they don't give a damn if they die.' _

_Nami's train of thought came to a halt when she saw the man dodge a punch of Luffy's. He quickly brought his swords up to aim at him, using the handles this time. She gasped when she saw the brass knuckles twist Luffy's jaw in an agonizing way, and almost called out when she saw him being knuckle dusted next in the stomach. _

'_Luffy get up!' She screamed in her head as she watched him painfully land to the floor._

_She cringed at the blood spewing from his mouth. She was in shock to see Luffy come down so easily, now kneeling on the floor as the enemy approached him._

'_Get up!' She screamed again as she tightened her grip on the Clima Tact._

_Luffy didn't obey to her silent order. He instead hissed when the man reached for his hair, almost pulling it in a ripping fashion, and forcing him to look into the enemy's eyes. Luffy squinted at the man, trying hard to stand but also trying to keep from blacking out.  
_

"_My body won't move…" He choked on his words.  
"Damn it."_

_Nami watched in both horror and shock as Luffy's quivering eyes gave out. His head fell to the man's hold as the world of darkness overwhelmed._

'_Get up…' _

_Nami sucked in a breath when she saw the man in the white suit drop his other sword. Bringing up his free hand and placing it flat onto Luffy's forehead._

'_Get up!'_

"_**Stomaanval Naamhier**__…" The man spoke in monotone._

_Nami couldn't understand the man's words but soon came to discover what it truly was, an attack. She stared wide-eyed at the flat hand pull slightly back from Luffy's head. A stream of white was coming out of his forehead and being sucked right into the palm of the enemy. She only shook her head at the scene, not quite understanding what was happening._

'_Is he a Devil Fruit user?' She asked herself, not letting her eyes move from the scene._

_She watched as the stream of white began to grow slimmer and sunk her shoulders back when she saw the look on Luffy's face. That one face she hated to see and so rarely did see on him. _

_Pain. _

_She grounded her teeth together when she saw him hiss in, not in any condition to help himself._

'_Idiot!' She told herself as she began to stand.  
'Why are you watching?! Help him!'_

_She cursed at her stupidity for waiting and watching, and quickly raced her away towards the unsuspecting pirate. Lifting her Perfect Clima Tact as she drew nearer. _

"_Let him go!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, all the while bringing the giant stick down on his back._

_She smirked at the contact, and was even slightly proud to see a dent in her weapon. _

'_Usopp will fix it.' She reassured any doubts._

_She continued to smirk at the man's hunched back, expecting him at any minute to falter and fall. Her smirk soon fell when instead he turned to face her. She stared up at the pirate, his face in the same way he had it this whole time. _

_Plain and emotionless. _

_She really disliked that look. He didn't look angry, nor did he look happy. He just looked on, with two eyes. That was the only way Nami could explain it. She soon learned of his true intentions though when he reached down for his butterfly sword. Letting Luffy fall to the ground unconscious. _

_Nami backed herself when the pirate turned towards her with his butterfly swords in both hands. _

'_Damn it.' She thought to herself as the man moved slowly and menacingly forward.  
'This guy is dangerous…'_

_She could only stare into the cold eyes as she backed herself more and more. Her heart racing as her weapon shook violently in her hand. She quickly gasped when she heard a cough and sputter behind the man._

"_Luffy…" She mouthed._

_She quickly shook off the man's gaze to peer behind him. She could almost tear at the sight, thankful that it wasn't Luffy's life that this man had taken from him. He continued to gag and sputter blood, all in the same time trying to push himself up but slipping on his puddles of red and his heavy, aching body._

"_Get up." She whispered when she saw him stop at his attempts._

_She hissed when she saw him lay back down. His heavy breathing the only thing moving now._

"_What do I take from you?" The pirate questioned as he watched Nami return her gaze._

"_Take?"_

_Nami gave small cry of despair when the boat's rail ghosted her back. Leaving her no way of escape. _

'_Fight! Do something!' She mentally yelled at herself, her weapon still shaking in her hand.  
'Luffy help me…!' She teared as she brought her attention back to her fallen captain._

_She gasped when the man's hand was planted in her face and began to shake in fear. Whatever he did to Luffy, he was about to do to her._

"_Luffy…" She choked as she continued to stare at the fallen boy.  
"Get up!" She cried lightly for him to hear._

_She watched as Luffy began again in an attempt to lift himself. _

"_Get up!" She spoke a little louder as he again fell to his pain._

_She lightly gasped when she felt the hand push her head slightly back. The cold, cracked palm made her shake on the spot, and she began to cry in fear._

"_Don't hurt me." She mouthed as she shut her eyes in despair, the tears pouring out.  
"Luffy," she spoke a little louder over the man's attack call, "help me!"_

_Nami forced herself to look when she heard the man in front of her gasp. The pale hand of his no longer was touching her soft head. She watched as the man was forced to turn his back to her, Luffy now staring into him as he brought his fist back. She wasted no time moving from the spot as Luffy's fist came down hard into the captain's face. She turned back just in time to see the suited captain fly back towards the sea. She rushed towards the rail and watched as the splash exploded below._

"_I think he was a Devil Fruit user." Nami whispered as she peered down.  
"He can't swim."_

_She bit her lip in thought. Should she save him? Nami shook her head. They were pirates, and being such she didn't need to worry about others. Especially ones that were about take her own life. She turned back to Luffy, and sighed. The thought of him killing someone sent shivers up her spine, but she quickly brushed them off. She knew who Luffy was, he wasn't a danger. Not to her at least._

"_Luffy." She sighed again at the sight._

_He stared out towards the sea with heavy lids. His breathing heavy with scratches and blood wrapped around him. Nami quickly ripped a piece of her shirt off to clean his bloodied mouth._

"_Luffy," she softly spoke as she continued to napkin his chin, "thank you. You saved me."_

'_Again…' She painfully thought as she brought her eyes to his._

_She watched his heavy lids sink down and then back up. His eyes fading when she realized he was about to give out. Nami quickly swung his arm over her, finally feeling his weight fall on her as his eyes sunk and stayed. Rest was all he needed now she thought to herself as she did her best to drag her captain along. _

_Rest was exactly what he needed and deserved._

* * *

"_Is he going to be alright?" Nami asked as she watched Chopper bandage and work._

_The small doctor turned to send her a reassuring smile._

"_Don't worry." He spoke softly to calm her.  
"He'll be fine. Just needs sleep is all." _

_Chopper turned back to the laying patient. Glad also to see and know that Luffy too came out of the battle with nothing more but bruises and scratches. His ears perked when he heard the scratching of a chair being dragged and smiled when he saw Nami plant a seat in front of Luffy._

"_When will he wake up?" She asked as she brushed a strand of hair out of his closed eye._

_They both sighed when they heard his stomach rumble in want._

"_Probably soon." Chopper chuckled as he hopped from his spinning seat.  
"I'll go tell Sanji to make a big dinner. Luffy's going to have to get his energy back."_

_Chopper quickly cleaned his desk off before making his way to the door. His ears perked in thought and he turned back to ask Nami what was on his mind._

"_Nami, did you notice that those men were kind of-" He stopped himself at the sight._

_Nami seemed to be paying no heed to her doctor and instead only continued to brush Luffy's hair as she stared sadly down to his face. No words being shared as the room filled with the noise of ticks from the clock._

'_It doesn't matter.' Chopper thought as he let a smile curve._

_The sight of Nami showing a different side was something Chopper didn't want to ruin right now. He again turned back one last time to catch a glimpse before softly clicking the door behind him._

_Nami sighed as she continued to play with Luffy's ebony hair. Noting how soft it felt through her delicate fingers. For some reason now, she only wanted him to jump up and grin at her. Begging for food, play, or an adventure. She smiled at the thought. She knew exactly that would probably be the first thing she would see. She had to admit that she pretty much had his routine down, though there was many times where he completely surprised her._

'_Okay, most of the time.' She grinned to herself._

_She chuckled lightly as she continued to stare down to the sleeping boy. His breathing the only thing passing through his lips. In time, Nami began to sigh at the sight. She wasn't sure if she was just bored, hungry herself, or just wanting to see Luffy's giant grin, all she knew was that she wanted to see him wake up. _

_Nami softly smiled as she brought her lips down to his ear. Chuckling as he moaned when she blew into it._

"_Luffy." She whispered into it as the boy continued to sleep.  
"Thank you." She sung out softly._

_She silently giggled when she saw his body respond to her words._

'_He can hear me.' She beamed at the thought.  
'Would it be selfish?' She silently asked herself.  
'It's not like he will wake up anyway.'_

_Nami brightened at her little play. Knowing that Luffy could hear her, though he would not stir awake._

"_Luffy," She blew again in his ear, "are you hungry?"_

_He sighed out his answer to her, his eyes still tightly shut as Nami continued._

"_Sanji's making a big dinner for you." She cooed as his eyes furrowed.  
"You need to wake up though."_

_Nami moved her eyes up to look into his face. She smiled at her little game and decided one last thing wouldn't hurt him._

"_Luffy," she whispered again, "you need to wake up."_

"_Unnn…"_

_Nami was caught off guard when she heard Luffy stir awake. She quickly brought her head up and grinned as she saw him pass a hand and pull on his own face. Trying to wipe the tired off of him._

"_That's right, you listen to my orders!" Nami joked as she anticipated for his return smile._

_But as she told herself before, Luffy was full of surprises. He passed his hand over his mouth before turning his head towards her. Nami watched as his blank stare blinked towards her bright eyes. She was confused as to why she could see nothing in them, they were just eyes._

"_Hey now," she spoke as he continued to stare, "what's up with that face?"_

_Luffy just blinked to her question._

"_You look like that captain!" She joked again, trying hard to receive a response._

_She chuckled lightly before Luffy turned to stare towards the ceiling. Her eyes furrowed in confusion. What was wrong with him?_

"_Luffy are you okay?"_

_Her face fell as he continued to remain silent, blinking faded pupils at the wooden boards above._

"_Luffy say something." She began to panic at his unusual behavior.  
"Tell me you're okay."_

_Luffy turned to her as she stood to peer over him._

"_I'm okay, Nami." He breathed out._

_It wasn't truly the answer Nami wanted. He sounded bored and his blank eyes and frown didn't help either. Still, she sat herself down, relieved to at least hear him speak and let her know that he was 'okay'._

'_He's just tired. Chopper said he would be.' Nami sighed at this thought._

_It was a tough fight for him, she had seen it. It was stupid of her to think that he would be bouncing all over the walls after such a fierce battle._

"_You can walk can't you?" She asked as she stood and padded his knee._

_He quickly glanced at her and then brought them back towards ceiling. He nodded and Nami grinned._

"_Sanji-kun's making something to eat right now." _

_She smiled as she walked towards the door, cracking it slightly before noticing his absence._

"_Luffy?"_

_She turned to see him still lying in the bed._

"_Come on, Luffy." She called back.  
"Sanji-kun's going to get mad."_

_She was still confused at his behavior when he stood and inched his way towards her. Not once smiling or grinning at the word 'eat'. He just continued to frown as he followed._

"_We really need to get something in your stomach." She joked again.  
"All your energy is gone!"_

_She sighed when she received just a plain answer._

"_Aa."_

* * *

"_Here you go." Sanji spoke as he slid a plate under Luffy's chin._

_Luffy looked down to his feast, only blinking as the sauce ran down his meat._

"_Nami-swan, are you hungry too?" Sanji chimed._

_He turned to the orange haired girl. Smiling towards her when she took the time to peek through her paper._

"_Some tea would be nice." She softly spoke as she turned back to her reading._

_Sanji happily obliged. _

"_Luffy, are you feeling better?" Chopper tilted his head to get a better look at his captain's eyes._

_He was puzzled at the look of his captain, and friend. His silent stare and answer troubling the young doctor._

_"Be sure to eat Luffy." He again spoke after some time.  
"That way you'll feel better."_

"_Aa." Luffy replied._

_Even if Chopper failed to notice, Nami certainly didn't. Even at his answer Luffy did nothing but continue to stare into his saucer and food. Sanji too, it seemed, failed to un-notice._

"_The one time I actually feel obligated to cook you refuse to eat?" Sanji growled before sucking a drag.  
"Eat Luffy. Otherwise it'll just go to waste."_

"_Aa." Luffy answered again._

_This time he did what he was told, and reached for his fork. Sanji puffed out his chest in pride, preparing to hear his all too familiar compliment of the day, 'This is yummy, Sanji!'. He growled when Luffy continued to slowly course down his meal and turned when he received no compliment._

"_Shitty Captain." He mumbled as he returned to his stove._

"_Oi, Nami." Usopp leaned in to whisper.  
"What's up with Luffy? I almost can't even finish my meal. I'm so use to him picking off everything."_

_Nami sighed as she took in the words and looked back towards Luffy. His head still hanging low as he continued to slowly eat._

"_I'm not sure." She replied in a sad tone.  
"He's been like this since he woke up. He said he was okay though."_

_Usopp shrugged to her answer and returned to his meal. Both unsure how to respond to Luffy's act. Nami pondered as she continued to watch him._

'_Something just isn't right.' She thought as she placed her chin into her palm.  
'What's got Luffy like this?'_

_Nami tried to recall the past events. Something had to of happened. He seemed perfectly normal when he shot himself towards the enemy. He was grinning back then, and even growled in excitement at the thought of fighting. _

'_Something must have happened after that.'_

_Nami silently gasped as realization hit her. The wheels in her head began to morph her conclusion._

'_That fight.' She thought as she continued to look on.  
'He must be feeling guilty for killing that man!'_

_Her heart gave a pang at the thought. Is this why Luffy showed no effort to look happy? Was the guilt just too much? She furrowed her eyes as her thoughts carried on. If he felt so guilty though, he certainly did well at hiding it. As well as happy, neither did he look sad or have any remorse in his eyes. They were just empty in stare._

'_He must be trying to bottle up his emotions.' She concluded.  
'That's why he doesn't want to talk to us!'_

_Nami mentally smiled as her theory began to play out accordingly. She was sure that was the reason behind Luffy's strange ways. Now the next question was how to help? She knew talking was best. It seemed though that was not Luffy's wish, he would already of spoken up to her if that were the case._

_'Perhaps I can get it out of him in a different way.' Nami again thought as a new idea came to her._

_She smirked openly this time as she recalled in old item of hers._

'_I bet I still have it!'_

"_Nami," Usopp again leaned in towards her, "why are you smirking at Luffy?"_

_Usopp was left unanswered as Nami stood to excuse herself. Sanji quickly protested but stopped when he watched her walk out the door. Quickly now, she made her way towards the women's quarters. Grinning as she dug through her lamp drawer. _

"_Here it is." She finally smiled as she looked on towards the small object.  
"I can't believe I completely forgot about it."_

_She smiled at the thought of Luffy receiving this. This had to cheer him up in some way or so help her from ripping out her hair. She wouldn't deny it, she wanted to see that stupid grin of his again. She wanted to hear her name being called out in pure glee. She wanted to see that twinkle of joy in his eyes. She would definitely get Luffy back to normal tonight._

* * *

_Nami fumbled the small black box in her hands. Staring high towards the night's clouds and bright moon. It wasn't that she was nervous, it was just a gift to a friend from a friend she told herself. She just didn't quite know how to approach it. She sighed as she saw Luffy stare out towards the night sea. His hands held together as he let his legs hang down the rail. Here was the most optimistic man she knew, sitting while letting the guilt consume him. Nami slowly made her ways towards him as she thought this. _

'_He really doesn't know how to deal with it.'_

_Never before though, Nami had to admit, did she see Luffy ever feel guilt for his actions. She continued to stare on as she approached his back. She still wasn't quite sure how to address this, or if this would even work._

"_Luffy." She finally spoke._

_Luffy turned his head to the soft call of his name. He blinked at the girl before turning back to the ocean. Nami sighed. She hoped the progress would definitely not take too long._

"_Luffy." She spoke as she walked next to him.  
"What are you doing out here?"_

"_Zoro said this would make me feel better." He softly spoke._

_Nami couldn't help but note his monotone like state._

"_Zoro told you to do that? Did you tell Zoro something?" _

_She turned to look at him when she received no answer._

"_Luffy?" She asked again and watched as they boy shook his head no._

"_He just told me it would make me feel better."_

_Nami was certainly not enjoying this conversation. She now knew it wasn't only her who noticed Luffy's out of character-ness, and it certainly bugged her to hear him answer and speak to her in a new way. Didn't he know that he could tell her if he was in trouble? She reached for the small black box. Luffy looked down to it when she shoved it into his face._

"_This is for you." She offered with small embarrassment.  
"It's a thanks for saving me earlier."_

_Nami began to grow pink as Luffy continued to stare at it, not grabbing it from her hands and a look of uncaring etched into him._

"_Well, take it and tell me what you think!" She finally mumbled after some time._

_Luffy obliged, and reached for the box. Nami felt her heart sink when she saw Luffy open it and just stare at the prize inside._

"_It's called a mood ring." Nami mumbled again._

_Luffy looked into the skull pendant planted in the front of the gold ring. She was relieved to see him pluck it out and examine it. Though, she did wish that his surprise would have been more ecstatic in his eyes._

"_The skull eyes will change color depending on your mood." Nami beamed.  
"Isn't it pretty?" She emphasized._

_She dared not tell him the truth behind the work of mood rings. She just hoped the small present she found long ago would make him happy._

"_Hnn." _

_Nami's face dropped as she listened to him. Perhaps, he just wasn't into rings at all._

"_Y-You don't have to wear it if you don't want to!" She quickly tried to correct herself.  
"Why don't you just stick it in your pocket for now, you can wear it when you want."_

_Nami couldn't help but feel hurt when she saw Luffy stuff the ring into his jeans. She quickly tried to shake it off. It wasn't the ring or present that mattered now, it was just a way to try to get him to talk out his feelings._

"_Luffy." She softly spoke again and picked herself up to a seat next to him.  
"That ring, it'll help you when you're in pain or whenever you need help but don't want to ask or tell anyone."_

_Nami peeked out of the corner of her eye. Hoping to hear him speak or stir to her words. She could see her plan failing when he did neither. She sighed before speaking again._

"_Luffy, if you're ever in trouble and need help that ring will let others know without you saying a word. It'll show us the true color you're feeling" Nami spoke and again peeked an eye._

_Still nothing._

"_Though, it's better to talk about it to someone than trying to show them. Do you understand, Luffy?"_

_Luffy nodded in a way to answer yes. At this Nami's heart began to lift._

"_Then, is there something that's bothering you that you want to talk about?"_

_Her heart plummeted right back down when he shook to answer no. Trying to lead him on was now seeming idiotic to her. She knew she needed to do it her way and to a way where Luffy would get the point._

"_I know you're feeling guilty about killing that man, Luffy." She bluntly spoke.  
"But, you do realize he was our enemy and that-"_

"_I don't feel guilty." Luffy stopped her._

_Her eyes widened to this. She was sure her brains had not false her this time._

"_Then, are you sad about it?" She spoke with slight offense._

"_No."_

_She fumed to his answer. He sure as hell wasn't happy either! He wasn't happy, ecstatic, sad, disgusted, guilty, grieved, mourning or anything else she could think of. He wasn't anything right now, and Nami was becoming angry at this. For what purpose was he bottling up so many emotions and at the same time trying to keep secret from her? Why was he avoiding his feelings when she was practically begging to see them?_

"_Then what?!" She cried out in rage.  
"What're you feeling right now?!"_

_She could almost punch him as he looked to be ignoring her words. Not even caring that the girl next him was screaming._

"_What's your problem?!" She screeched and jumped from the rail.  
"What's wrong with you?!"_

_She snorted when Luffy turned his expressionless face to look to her hate filled one._

"_I'm not feeling anything right now." He blankly spoke._

"_Eh?" _

_Nami's face contorted as she saw the truth behind his faded pupils. _

"_I don't care." He spoke effortlessly.  
"And I think that's what's wrong with me."_

* * *

"_His name was Captain Calibri." Robin lazily spoke out._

_She threw the book towards the middle of the table so that the others could see for themselves. Nami nodded her tired head as the others looked to her._

"_That's him." She softly whispered for their ears._

_Zoro growled in frustration. It was well late into the night when Nami had come pounding on his door, crying that something was terribly wrong with Luffy. He didn't deny that there was something terribly wrong, nor did the others. He was just frustrated to see this happen to his captain, and lack of sleep was certainly souring his mood greatly. Robin again reached for the book as soon as everyone was confirmed. Out of everyone it was probably her who had worked her hardest. Scouring dozens of books before finding the pirate that had hurt her savior._

"_Lucky for us he was quite an infamous pirate to be placed into a marine book. It does read that he did indeed eat a Devil Fruit."_

"_Does it say which one?!" Nami frantically asked.  
"Or how to fix it?!"_

_Robin squinted her tired eyes at the pages. Flipping back and forth before bringing her head up. She quickly shook her head in despair. The group sighed in unwanted defeat._

"_This isn't fair!" __Nami couldn't help but let the tears fall.  
"Luffy!" She called to her captain as she turned to him._

_She had no idea what to say or do. The sight of his un-caring eyes turning to hers made her eyes leak more with tears._

"_Chopper!" She quickly turned to him._

_The reindeer's face dropped to her pitiful look._

"_I-I can't!" He cried as the water works began with him as well.  
"This is a psychological problem! No amount of physical treatment can help him!"_

"_We have to do something!" Nami cried again._

_She turned to each head at the table, looking desperately for any idea or help. She felt weak and stupid as each gaze averted away from hers._

"_We have to help him!" She again cried._

"_Wait!" Robin spoke up as she again brought the book back to the table.  
"It says here that Captain Calibri was born and raised at a small island called Perdu."_

_Nami's heart lifted as she listened on._

"_It says that many believed Calibri would visit frequently to his home land in order to hide the many treasures he stole and gained. That being said, it also goes on to say that, that was his reason for not sailing far from his home village." _

_Robin quickly flipped the pages of the book towards the back. She smiled in accomplishment as she planted the book flat on the table._

"_A map?" Franky questioned._

_Nami quickly answered for her sister. Her heart beating faster in hope._

"_We aren't very far from the island!"_

_Robin nodded before speaking._

"_We can perhaps seek help and answers if we land there."_

"_Luffy! We're going to get you help!" Usopp grinned over the table._

"_Hn." Luffy simply replied as he continued to stare towards the kitchen wall._

_Zoro slumped his head hard onto the table. Grateful that an answer came quickly to them. But also seeing past to the truth._

"_Don't get your hopes up." He muttered.  
"Remember we're pirates, and help doesn't usually come free for us."_

"_Don't talk like that!" Nami spat.  
"You sound as though Luffy is going to be stuck like this forever!"_

_Zoro waited until Nami's hateful glare left from his._

'_Stupid woman.' He silently thought.  
'He could be…'_

_Zoro turned to look at the pitiful state of his captain. Their eyes would never meet._

* * *

_Nami sighed as she stared up towards the rain clouds, the breeze growing stronger by the day. She knew a storm would be coming sometime during the day._

"_It's so gloomy." She whispered._

_She turned to look at Luffy's response. His head was turned away as he watched Franky bring them to harbor, and at this Nami sighed. Perhaps this was the question to break him._

_"What do you think, Luffy?" She asked._

_She watched as his back heaved up in a sigh._

"_I don't care." He answered plain as day._

_Nami turned her saddened eyes away. She was tired of hearing him say that, it seemed to be the only sentence he knew now. Even when she had asked him about becoming Pirate King and finding One Piece it was always the same answer._

'_I don't care.'_

"_Luffy." She softly spoke as she planted a hand on top of his.  
"We're going to help you."_

_She never turned her gaze to him nor did he. She only spoke as she continued to stare at the dancing waves._

"_Does that sound good?" She asked as she felt heat rise under her eyes._

"_I don't care." He answered again._

_Whether or not aware that he was making the girl next to him tear, he seemed not at all to be phased by the events happening around him. He only blinked when he felt her warm hand leave his and listened to her soft wails next to him. Not having a care in the world about it._

"_Oi Nami. Don't do this now." Zoro drawled as he approached the girl.  
"We've already landed. We need to hurry."_

"_I know that!" She shot back as she wiped at her red eyes._

_Zoro waited until he was sure her water was gone. Allowing her a few sniffles before speaking up again._

"_It's just going to be you, me, him, and the Ero Cook." Zoro spoke as he watched her rise._

_Pulling Luffy up along with her._

"_What about the others?" She asked confused._

_She looked out towards the grey village as Zoro pointed at it._

"_This is bounty hunter land." He answered for her.  
"We need to get what we need, and then get our asses back here."_

_Nami was in no mood to protest, and she of course knew that he was probably right._

"_Nami-swan!" Sanji chimed as he raced towards her.  
"I won't let anyone hurt you!"_

"_We'll be back soon!" Zoro called as he began to ladder down._

"_Watch Sunny." Nami ordered as well._

_She beckoned for Luffy to follow._

"_Come back with a smile." Robin cheerfully spoke._

"_Let's hope he does." Nami answered and began to make her way down._

"_I was talking to you as well Nami-san!" Robin called out before watching the small group disappear._

* * *

"_You got us lost Marimo Head. Nami-san shouldn't be put into these kinds of predicaments" Sanji growled against his drag stick._

"_Shitty Cook, I'm not lost. I'm just trying to find a place that doesn't look suspicious."_

_Nami sighed as she watched the two men in front of her fight with words. She was in no mood to watch them, but also in no mood to stop the two. Luckily, they carried on in their feet while still throwing one another insults. She turned to look at the man behind her. Another sight she sighed at._

_Why couldn't he just at least grin at the shady houses? Cry out and ask her where this road led? She quickly shook her head when she felt the water works start up. She didn't need this now, nor did Luffy_

"_Shishishi! It's a mystery road!"_

_Nami gasped and quickly spun on her heels. She smiled at the voice that was definitely Luffy's._

"_Luffy, are you better?!" She asked in all heart-warming._

_Her eyes widened as she saw his blank stare continue to look down at the road, passing her without even a glance._

"_Wait a minute!" She called as she reached to turn him to her.  
"Wasn't that you?"_

_Luffy only blinked to her question. Not knowing at all how to show her confusion._

"_I heard you!" She spoke frantic.  
"I heard you say it! I know I did! Didn't you just speak?"_

_Nami furrowed her eyes as he shook his head no._

"_Why are you lying?!" Nami growled as she tugged for his shirt._

_She began to shake him as she continued on._

"_Tell the truth! Luffy, I heard you!!"_

_Her teeth barred in pain as she felt her tears come out. The sight of Luffy doing nothing to stop or correct her was breaking her._

"_I heard you!" She screamed again._

"_Nami-san!"_

_Nami quickly turned and brushed her eyes. The last thing she needed was someone pitying her tears. It was Luffy now who needed all the help._

"_Nami-san, are you alright?" Sanji asked as he noticed her puffy eyes.  
"Did you do something?" He turned to Luffy with disgust._

"_No. I'm fine." Nami reassured as she quickly brushed pass the two.  
"We need to hurry and find someone!"_

"_Marimo-head already found a shitty pub." Sanji sighed as he lit his cigarette._

_Nami turned to see Sanji point out a shabby shack in the distance. She cringed when she listened to the loud noises echo to them. She knew there would be nothing but smelly, drunk men. She brought her hands up to rub her eyes._

'_It doesn't matter.' She spoke to herself.  
'Luffy needs this.'_

_She brought her eyes back up and quickly walked towards the pub. Not glancing once back to Sanji or Luffy._

"_Is that your crew?!"_

_Nami was greeted by a shout as she entered the smoky atmosphere. She quickly looked for the voice and sighed when she saw Zoro and the bartender looking at her. Not surprised at all to see a glass in Zoro's hand._

"_So, is this the one? The one Cal got a hold of?" The bartender asked as Nami made her way towards the two._

"_No, it's our captain." Zoro corrected._

"_I see." The man sympathized before reaching a hand out to Nami.  
"Nice to meet ya!" He grinned.  
"Heard all about your troubles. I'm sorry to hear about your friend, believe it or not, it's a common story here in Perdu."_

"_Then you know how to fix it?!" Nami beamed as she stood towards the man.  
"You can help Luffy?!"_

_Nami watched as the man's gaze fell to pass her. She turned to see both Luffy and Sanji enter._

"_Nami-swan!" Sanji chirped as he dragged Luffy along  
"What a disgusting place, Nami-san shouldn't be in this kind of place Marimo-head!"_

_Nami quickly ignored her cook to look back to bartender. She watched as his eyes furrowed towards Luffy before turning back to hers._

"_He's the one huh? I can tell. It's the eyes you know." He grinned as he pointed to his own pair._

"_Can you help him?" Zoro asked as he swift another drink._

_The bartender hissed before sighing._

"_Luffy is it?" He finally called.  
"C'mere for a minute."_

_The three watched as the bartender reached for their captain's chin. Not even caring that a stranger was tilting his head here and there. Examining him like a doctor._

"_Cal was actually a really nice guy." The bartender spoke as he continued to examine.  
"Just had a few screws loose. He ate the Devil Fruit at a young age, I think it was called the Tsu Tsu no Mi… Can't really remember." The man clicked his tongue as he lifted Luffy's head high.  
"Anyway, he has some weird power that takes."_

"_Takes?" Nami silently whispered._

"_That's right! One thing he loved to take was people's emotions."_

_Nami gripped herself onto the table as the realization hit her. Luffy's emotions had indeed been stolen. Her captain was literally just a walking zombie._

"_The thing is though. It just all depends on how much he takes." The man spoke as he let go of Luffy._

"_What do you mean by that?" Sanji questioned._

"_Let's see." The man peered around the pub before calling out.  
"Ted, Cal once took your emotions too, right?"_

"_Oh! I remember that!" A heavy man turned to grin.  
"Tha' ol' bastard!" The man laughed as he once again turned to his drink._

"_You see. They eventually come back." The man reassured the group.  
"Even if Luffy's not showing them, they're there. His emotions are hidden somewhere inside him. He just has to re-awaken them."_

_Nami grinned as her breathing grew heavy._

"_Luffy will get better soon then?" She excitedly asked._

_The bartender grinned before sinking his shoulders._

"_At least, that was the theory… Luffy sure looks like her." He hissed when he saw Nami's confused face.  
"Where is she?!" He called out as he looked towards the crowd.  
"Where's Kita?!"_

_The men all laughed when they watched the brown haired girl slowly make her way towards the bartender. Nami gasped as her eyes looked into hers. They were an exact replica of Luffy's._

"_This is Kita!" The man grinned.  
"Her emotions were taken from her about ten years ago."_

"_Ten years?" Nami asked as she shook her head in disbelief._

"_Yep! And still no sign of recovery." Despite the sad situation the man only grinned as he continued to show off the girl.  
"She deserved it though! Crazy, little brat she was… That's why I say. We're not sure if she'll ever recover, and if she does, it sure took a hell of a long time."_

_Nami's heart sank to his truthful words._

"_Hey, it's not a loss though! They listen better this way!" A bulky man called out towards them._

_The pub bellowed with boisterous laughter before singing out._

"_Kita, Kita! She'll do as you please! Kita, Kita! Get down on your knees."_

"_Disgusting…" Sanji scowled as the men all began to laugh as the girl returned to her table_

"_What do they mean they listen better?" Zoro asked over the loud noises._

"_No feelings mean no decision making! Luffy, would ya like a drink?" The man asked, dropping a glass in front of the pirate before letting him answer._

"_I don't care." Luffy answered back._

"_See what I mean?" The man spoke as he snapped his fingers.  
"No emotions, no decisions. You have to tell them what to do. You have to be their conscious. Luffy, drink up already!"_

_The group watched as Luffyobeyed and began to chug at his alcohol._

"_That's not right…" Nami mouthed._

"_Is there nothing we can do to help him progress faster?" Sanji asked with a sigh, the look on Nami's face tearing him apart._

_The man gave a great sigh as he peered towards the ceiling in thought._

"_There may be one thing." The man spoke as he turned an eye towards them.  
"Might be a little risky though."_

_The man grinned when he saw the group answer with their eyes._

"_You pirates are fierce!" He chuckled before leaning down onto the counter.  
"Calibri has a brother ya know. Captain Joji is his name. He may be able to help your lot out."_

"_Where can we find him?" Zoro quickly asked._

"_Ack, there's the catch though. I have NO idea." The man shook his head.  
"Just telling ya to look out for him when you continue to sail."_

"_How are we suppose to sail, when we don't even have a captain?" Nami asked as she felt the hot tears._

_Zoro and Sanji quickly averted their eyes to one another. The same thought coming to them._

"_Aw, don't cry here miss!" The bartender patted her hand soothingly.  
"There's one more thing I can help with!"_

_The group watched as the bartender leaned for Luffy._

"_This won't bring any emotions back, nor will it stop him from following orders, but it does help him to realize what to do."_

"_What do you mean?" Nami asked for the group._

"_To make a puppet dance miss, you just have to tug on the right strings." He winked at Nami before turning back to Luffy.  
_"_Tell me Luffy, what do you do if you find a sack of money lying on the floor?"_

_The group watched as Luffy blinked at the question. Taking his sweet time before answering back in monotone._

"_Take it and give it to Nami."_

_Nami gasped at his words. She realized now what the man was teaching him._

"_Hahaha! I like that answer!" The bartender grinned.  
"You see, though they have no feelings, sub-consequently they know what is right from wrong." The man tilted his head as he hissed.  
"Well, in a way they do. It's basically their own actions minus the emotion."_

"_That's why that Captain had such a strong crew." Zoro recalled._

_"Now tell me," the bartender continued, "what do you do if one of your nakama is in danger?"_

"_Help them." Luffy answered._

"_Don't forget though." The bartender sighed as he turned once again to the group.  
"He'll follow orders before acting on his own. If he's been told not to help his nakama, he won't reach out a single finger if any of you are dangling from a cliff. Hee-hee, just one more test."_

_Nami watched as the man stripped himself of his golden ring, planting it firmly down in front of Luffy._

_"That's yours now boy." The bartender grinned._

_Luffy again only blinked at the ring before carefully picking it._

"_Nami," he spoke as he turned his eyes towards her, "look. Isn't it pretty?"_

_She gasped as Luffy held the small ring for her to see. Not realizing that all this time he could do as he sub-consequently pleased. Her eyes traveled from his mood ring to the ring in his palm._

"_Nami, look. Isn't it pretty?" He again asked._

_Her small light of hope faded when she heard him continue to ask. He wasn't asking because he wanted to, he was only asking because that was what he remembered doing from the past._

"_He probably won't be talking or doing much from now on." The bartender spoke as he plucked the ring from Luffy.  
All I can say now is, good luck." The man sympathetically smiled at the group._

_His heart stringing as he watched the pirate girl fall to his floor. Breaking down into tears._

* * *

"_You don't want to help him at all…" Nami whispered and stepped back as Zoro advanced._

"_What can we do? We can't go looking for a pirate with no map to him!" Zoro argued against her._

_Already, more complications were arising when the group returned to the boat. The crew were all called to the kitchen so as everything could be explained. It had taken some time, but finally Zoro was able to convince everyone, minus one, that they should continue on with their search of One Piece. Even if Luffy didn't desire it._

"_We have to help him first!" She screamed angrily with hot tears._

_The group watched as Nami ran her way to Luffy, burrowing her head into her arms as she muffled out her words. Crying all the while._

"_That's what you want, right Luffy? You want to get better first?!" She asked as she kept her head hidden._

_She felt his strong hand pat her head a few times before drawing back._

"_I don't care."_

"_Nami-san." Sanji spoke as he reached to comfort her._

_He was brought back by a swipe. Nami growled towards him as her tears continued on._

"_None of you want to help him!" She screamed.  
"I saw you and Zoro looking at each other in the bar! You planned this way back then. You never wanted to help him!" _

_Nami shook her head as she glanced at the group._

"_Why? Why won't any of you agree with me?" _

_Her shoulders sunk as she looked desperately to each one of her friends._

"_It's not that we don't want to Nami." Usopp bit his lip as he spoke.  
"It's just that we can't. Not by wondering around at least."_

"_We can stop at each island, we can ask questions! We can't let him live his dream if he doesn't want it!" Nami again tried to argue._

"_It seems though, as the bartender said, they eventually come back over time." Robin spoke her own opinion._

"_Or not at all!" Nami crossed at the older woman._

"_I'm sick of this!" Zoro yelled as he pulled Nami to face him.  
"We're going to One Piece, and if Luffy gets his emotions back by then, great. If not, then too bad. He'll be Pirate King either way!"_

_Nami stared into Zoro's menacing eyes._

'_Why can't he understand?' She thought as she pulled back._

_She opened her mouth to speak her peace. She could taste the salty water when she choked on her words. She soon found it impossible and instead dashed out of the room. Banging the door behind her as she let the tears fall back._

"_Don't!" Zoro yelled as he threw an arm out to stop Robin.  
"Don't go to her now, we still have things we need to discuss!"_

"_Oi, oi." Sanji warned as he waltzed to the green head.  
"That was a pretty shitty thing to do. You shouldn't of yelled at her like that."_

_Zoro sighed as he ran a hand threw his locks._

"_What am I to do?" He asked as he looked towards his captain.  
"Tell me Luffy, how was I suppose to make her understand?"_

_He frowned when he saw Luffy continue to stare at the wooden door Nami had ran through._

"_Tell us, Captain!" Zoro mocked as he swung an arm out.  
"Give your crew the orders!"_

"_Oi, swordsman…" Franky spoke as he stood, but stopped when he felt Robin's hand lower him back._

"_Tell us Luffy! Tell us what to do!! We don't know!" Zoro screamed, trying desperately to get Luffy to react.  
"Do we listen to me?! Or Nami?!"_

_"..."_

"_Tell us! Your nakama!!"_

"_I don't care…"_

* * *

_It was late when Nami made her final decision. She would not ignore his cries of help, nor what her heart told her to do. She thought it almost unfair that Luffy held no emotions while she now was just a bottle of them. The storm, she predicted, tapped gently against her glass window, she thought hard as she packed and stuffed her bags. _

'_It will only be for a while…' She sadly thought as she quickly made her way towards the men's quarters._

_Glancing back only once to send Robin a silent thank you._

_She wasn't surprised to see him wide awake, not even glancing at her when she ordered him to follow. He obliged to help as they robbed of some food and medical kits, and soon Nami found herself at the last step. Throwing their bags onto the new ship. _

_Nami labored her skills onto the small boat. Skillfully and quickly preparing for her long departure, all in the same time keeping mouse so as not to wake the others._

_She watched as the boats head bobbled and rocked against the dancing waves. Moving to the sound of the pounding rain and drumming thunder. She sighed as she lifted another heavy bag and planted it onto the boat, thinking all the while at what she was doing. She quickly wiped away any forming tears._

_Now was not the time._

_Now, she had to act quickly. Now, she had to do what was right in her mind. Now, she was leaving them._

'_Again…' She painfully thought as she let the tears resurface._

_Her lips curled tightly back and she quickly threw her head away to hide her own raindrops. Nami forced herself to swallow down the pain before turning back to the last cargo. Allowing herself a deep breath before speaking to it._

"_Come."_

_She hated herself for speaking to him like that. Ordering him to her like he was nothing but a common mutt. She was slightly relieved to see him pay no heed to her command and instead stare out into the night's storm. Still, she would not ignore his silent cries for help. She knew deep down that he was screaming from the bottom of his heart at everyone, at her, to help him, and that was exactly what she planned to do. Even if it meant leaving the others for some time, she was going to get this last bag on board._

"_Come on." She quickly spoke.  
"Luffy."_

_She was surprised to see him take a step back. Her heart gave a small leap to such a small action as this. She looked up to his blank eyes with a set of her own faded pupils. She would not let him see her cry for him this time. She would show no pity to the boy she called captain, she knew deep down that neither of them wanted that. He only blinked his empty stare again before speaking._

"_This is wrong."_

_Nami let a small breath of relief pass. Perhaps she didn't need to do this. Maybe now he was actually fighting against his emotional bonds. His eyes quickly moved from hers and onto the open sea. Nami watched as they darted up and down and frantically at the scene taking place. The lightning cracking when he brought another foot back._

"_This is wrong." He whispered again as his eyes continued to dance with the waves._

_Nami only watched on, intrigued. Not letting her flame of hope burn brighter for what Luffy was now doing. She was glad to finally see him choosing his own path once again, but she also knew that this was something too good to be true. Still, his small step back felt like a golden, jeweled crown to her. She was finally seeing him do something he wanted to do, and not what others told him._

'_Too long…' She thought as she looked back up to Luffy's darting eyes._

_Too long had he been like this for Nami. Far, far too long, though, she could still play the scene that started this tragedy in her head. She could recall the actions and words that lead her to her decision tonight, and she could still hear those whistles. Those god awful whistles that started it all. Nami sucked in her breath as Luffy's eyes returned to hers. Would he say "No"? She continued to watch as he blinked his blank stare, not even caring that her mind drowned out the loud thunder behind her._

_She furrowed her eyes when she saw his lips move to answer her. The sounds of past drowning him out._

"This is wrong." He spoke again.

Only this time, Nami watched in sadness as he took his steps forward. Climbing into the boat like she had beckoned moments before.

"But I don't care."


	2. Chapter 2

He didn't even care.

He didn't even care that she was lying before him. Hurting, in pain. She was making it so obvious to him, to the world. Anyone who was given the chance to even take a glance at her, unlike the full view he was privileged now, would have been able to see. They would have known. They would of known she was hurting, in pain. Even now, as she screamed through clenched teeth, tears flying out along with her blood, she knew he could see her pain.

But he didn't care.

"Arlong!" She cried out again.

No matter how many times she cursed that name, no matter how many stabs made her bleed, no matter how many tears she cried, she knew he wouldn't stop her. She knew he wouldn't say any encouragement because he didn't care. She knew he didn't care and she was right.

He didn't care.

Nami cringed as she watched herself continue on. This was all too familiar to her, but something about Luffy wasn't right. She turned to watch him as her own figure before her carried on. She furrowed her eyes as his continued to stare at the Nami under him. Only blinking with eyes and nothing more. Frowning as if it was a boring play happening in front of him.

And she hated it.

She felt sad at the scene while he felt nothing. Something almost ironic to her. Maybe if she helped him? Maybe if she told him he would know, or at least maybe learn. He needed to learn that the scene in front of him was wrong. He needed to know that what he was watching wasn't just a play and that he needed to intervene. He needed to know how to care for her again.

'_Just like he use to…_' She told herself as the sharp knife continued to rip at her shoulder.

Nami slowly made her way to him, feeling the tears return to each step. She hated the scene but hated more at the sight of Luffy. He was just watching her, cry, curse, scream, bleed, hurting and in pain and that was the problem. He was watching her spill out so many emotions while holding back his own.

'_He just doesn't know_.' Nami argued in her mind, trying to find justice in her tears.

She stopped her steps over time, planting herself firmly behind him. She wanted so much to show him what to do. She needed nothing more than to see him reach for that silver blade and stop her. She knew she needed to show him what to do but wanted so much more to see him act on his own. She cringed as she peered over him to see herself, in pain. Even though she wanted to see him do it, she knew he wouldn't lift a finger for her now. She knew she had to help him help her.

"Luffy…" She whispered through stinging tears.

She blinked her heavy lids at his back when he didn't turn. Perhaps, he didn't hear her? Still, her words were hard to voice through heavy tears so she continued to speak to his back.

"Luffy," She tried again, "help me."

His back heaved to her plea, she knew he heard her then, but he still would not budge an inch. Nami only sighed as she felt the drips fall from her red cheeks. Why wouldn't he help her? Why was he only watching, carelessly, as she continued to scream, cry, and bleed in front of him? Why wouldn't he help even when she told him to?

She curled her lips back to lick them. She could taste the salty tears that had passed and tried to swallow them back before speaking again.

"Luffy, can't you see me?" She croaked out.

She wanted nothing more than to reach out for him, but held herself still. She needed him to learn. Something she knew he was never really good at.

"I'm right there Luffy." Nami whispered to his back.

Nami could barely stand the sight. Even without her telling him, she knew he could see as plain as day at the sight in front of him. She knew he could hear her, she just wanted in some way, a small way, anyway, for him to move to her. To do something. To show her that he actually cared.

"Luffy!" She cried hysterically when he still kept his feet firm.  
"I'm right here so please…! Save me…"

"Arlong!"

Nami gasped as her eyes flew open. Her dream world was quickly ended as she blinked towards the grey clouds above her. She wiped away her sleep as she felt the boat rock under her and listened to the wave's crash around her.

"It was just a dream." She moaned as she felt a drop from the clouds above land itself on her forehead.

She continued to stare at the clouds above her. She hated waking up to a cold floor instead of her nice, warm bed back on Sunny. She hated the few seconds after waking when realization hit her. Knowing why she was here and what hardship was happening for them. That she had left her nakama behind to help her captain. She again blinked at the grey swirls, a drop once in awhile finding its way to chill her body.

"What a dream." She again breathed out, shutting her eyes so as to forget.  
"It isn't me that needs help." She spoke again after taking some time to recall.  
"It's Luffy."

Nami fluttered her eyes open to meet with a pair of faded ones. Luffy blinked his gaze down at Nami as he held his above hers, breathing into her face as she felt some wet drops from his hair land on her face. She knew she should be familiar with this face now. This uncaring look he held now for her, his nakama, and everyone else around him. No matter how many acquaintances she had with his new eyes and frown, she still could never accept it as his.

"What do want Luffy?" She quietly asked as she reached her arms up.

She quickly brought them down when she remembered even a small touch wouldn't make him smile or scowl.

"I don't know."

Nami sighed to his familiar answer.

"You never know, you never care, you never want to go or do anything…" Nami spoke as she ran a tired hand down her face.

Nami really had been trying her best lately to get a different answer to leak out from his lips. Even if he spoke in the same, blank tone she knew he was slightly progressing when she heard a different answer than 'I don't care'. She tried hard to remember how the bartender had spoken to him. She knew it was just a way of asking or speaking where he would be forced to answer without his new phrases coming into play.

"Did you want to tell me something?" Nami again asked, their stare never breaking.

She watched as Luffy blinked a few times to her question. Perhaps pondering before…

"I don't know."

Nami again sighed. Feeling tears begin to form she quickly turned her head and broke the gaze. Wiping them quickly before speaking again.

"Luffy," she mumbled as she again brought a hand up to push his gaze away, "don't look at me."

She hated doing this to him. Pushing him away like an unwanted toy, but still, she did not want him to see her cry. She knew he wouldn't care anyway, whether she pushed him away or cried. He wouldn't care.

'_Just like that dream._' She spoke to herself as she lifted her tired body up.

Even if it seemed harsh now, she didn't want to show this boy pity for what had happened. She needed to be strong, for him. Like he had been for her for a multiple of times. This time, she would be the savior, though, she would gladly trade that title for him to be back to normal. She was going to be the hero wholeheartedly against her will.

Nami slightly gasped as she brought her head up to peer at the town in front of her.

"An Island." She whispered as she stared at the grey, gloomy place.

She quickly spun her head to the side to see their small boat already tied up to the dock. Had Luffy been busy doing this while she slept? She recalled what the bartender awhile back had told her about Luffy's mind and actions.

"Luffy, did you do this?" She asked as she turned back to look at him.

"Aa." He plainly answered as he too stared out towards the town.

Nami took a few minutes to stare at her captain, watching as the cold breeze blew at his back and waved his hair. Despite it, he still would not shiver to the wind's breath.

"Is this what you were going to tell me?" Nami again asked as she continued to watch Luffy.

Luffy only stared out, not making any known attempt to answer to take any thought to her question. The one answer Nami hated more than his 'I don't care' answer was this. She hated when he just ignored her. Had he been in his familiar, happy self he would be given a punch to the head for ignoring her. Now though, she wouldn't touch him because she knew he wouldn't care. He didn't care that Nami was now his conscience, and he probably didn't care that he was tearing her heart apart, and she was right.

He didn't care.

Nami forced out a toothy grin before jumping onto the dock.

"Shii-Shii…" She tried to impersonate his unique chuckle as she turned to face him.

She could feel her water begin to leak at her failed attempt to portray her captain.

"L-Let's go have an adventure Luffy!" She grinned again, trying hard to look happy through her running tears.

* * *

"Here you go miss."

Nami wasted no time reaching for her drink and bringing it to her dry lips. She sighed and closed her eyes in ease as the warm feeling tingled her body. She sighed again in gratitude when she listened to the pouring rain outside, grateful that she was inside and enjoying warm tea.

"And this one is yours sonny. Enjoy you two."

Nami poked her eyes above her small cup to glance at Luffy. She dared not miss any opportunity to see if he may acknowledge or act differently towards anyone. But she watched as her captain only stared down to the plate shoved under him. Already in all knowing that he wouldn't change at this moment. She sighed again and placed her cup down, frowning when she didn't hear the sounds of a meal time.

"Eat Luffy." She finally ordered.

Pained to hear his fork and knife clatter to her order only. It grieved her to know that she was literally the one now who decided what Luffy would do and at what time.

"You know," Nami softly spoke and closed her eyes as she let the steam of tea fill up her nostrils, "if I really wanted to, I could have you starve."

She glanced up to see his reaction. She was given nothing as Luffy continued to pace at his meal while staring at it.

"You should be grateful I don't let you starve." She smirked.  
"Are you grateful to me right now, Luffy?"

She kept her eyes shut as she anticipated the answer, surprised to hear a different remark than 'I don't know'.

"No." He answered before planting the fork again in his mouth.

Nami only kept her eyes closed as she continued to let the steam dance around her nose. She frowned in thought at his answer and then smirked as realization kicked in. Perhaps he was feeling something else, and if she could get him to see that then her goal would be another step closer.

"Do you hate me because I tell you what to do?" She spoke before taking another sip.

Her eyes opened to him when she heard the clank of his silverware. She stared at the empty plate before lifting to his face and watched him as he stared out towards the small restaurant's window. Either pondering her question or ignoring her as he watched the rain tap at the glass.

"Lu-?" She spoke before being cut off by his monotone answer.

"I don't know. I don't feel anything."

Nami was in slight awe at this small sentence. Surprised to hear him once again acknowledge his problem. She frowned as she watched him though continue to blink at the pouring rain, his answer not even remotely close to sounding annoyed at her, or angry, or happy, or sad, or anything else. He just spoke the few words with the blank tone. Nami virtually kicked herself as she realized her method had failed.

Still, something about his answer made Nami slightly wary. He didn't say he hated her nor did he deny it. Could it be, if at this moment Luffy was privileged to have his emotions back, that what she had done would make him despise her? Would he really hate her for her stealing him away and abandoning his nakama? Would she be scolded when she had finally healed him? Even if she already knew the answer, she would risk saying it even if it eased her some.

"Luffy, are you mad at me?" She quivered.

Her stomach knotted as Luffy only continued to watch the splashes on the glass. This time, ignoring her entirely as he tapped his knuckles against lips. Nami heaved her shoulders up as she felt the stinging under her eyes.

'_What if Luffy really does hate me for what I've done?_'

Nami quickly turned her head when she heard the waitress approach them.

"Miss, your check."

The lady quickly laid the white slip onto the table before turning her way.

"Wait!" Nami called before sniffling her last tear back and turning to the lady.  
"We're looking for a pirate."

Nami watched as the ladies eyebrows raised in suspicion.

"Bounty hunters?" She questioned before pulling a seat next to the orange haired girl.

Nami nodded and watched as the lady sighed to her answer.

"That's good to hear. I'll help with what I can." She smirked as she rested her chin in her palm.

"We're looking for a pirate name Captain Joji and-" Nami stopped herself as she watched the lady shake her head.

"I'm sorry." She spoke as she smiled sympathetically.  
"I've never heard of him."

Her apologetic smile soon turned into a smirk.

"But I do know someone who may know!" She grinned.

Nami watched curiously as the woman pointed towards the window and out towards the slowing rainstorm.

"On top of that cliff," the waitress licked her lips as she lifted her finger higher, "there's an old fortune teller that may be able to help you."

"A fortune teller?" Nami questioned as she raised an eyebrow.

"Don't worry, mother's very good at what she does." The waitress winked as Nami rested her money down onto the table.

"Oi," she sighed, "isn't that blatant advertisement?"

The waitress only grinned as she watched Nami stand and beckon for Luffy.

"Don't worry about it Ma'am." The waitress smiled again as she watched the two turn from her.  
"And for goodness sake put a smile on! You have your boyfriend with you, there's no reason to look so down!"

Nami's eyes widened to the woman's words. She couldn't help but stop and shift on her feet as the lady's suggestion echoed in her head.

'_Why is she telling me this? I don't need help, I'm the last person that needs that. Can't she see Luffy is the one that needs to smile?! Not me!_'

"Th-Thank you!" Nami grinned without turning back.

The lady only smiled at the orange haired girl's back. Unknowing of the running tears that she had just caused.

* * *

Nami didn't care this time. She needed to let it out without anyone interrupting her, and as she continued up the hill with Luffy trudging behind, she was granted just that.

"Stupid lady!" She mumbled through her cries.  
"Stupid lady! I don't need help. Luffy's the one who does." She spoke again and again.

After awhile Nami's tears began to subside just like she had hoped. She needed to get these sudden outbreaks out so she could focus on what was needed ahead of her. To help Luffy.

"Stupid lady…" Nami calmly spoke as she trudged towards the cliff's edge.

She took in a few sniffs as she looked out towards the beach ahead and below her. Nami sighed when she stared out towards the endless blue, not turning when she listened to Luffy plant himself behind her. She sighed and calmed herself as she felt the cold breeze behind her neck. The chill making the hairs on her neck stand. She inhaled the salty and rainy breeze, and stared at the grey clouds above her. She again sighed as she looked towards the giant sea.

"Do you think we'll find him?" Nami quietly asked, not expecting to hear an answer.  
"Even I can't find someone without a map to them."

"Shishishi, let's go have an adventure, Nami!"

Nami gasped as she listened to Luffy's encouraging words.

"Luffy!"

She quickly turned on her heels, smiling to his joyful cry. Her smile soon faded as she turned to faded eyes. Luffy only stared at her, carefree, as she turned to him.

"Y-You just spoke right?" Nami hysterically asked.

Her heart sank deeper to each shake of his head.

"I heard you though…" She tried to argue through her dry mouth.  
"I know I did!"

Nami watched as Luffy only continued to stare at her. Not at all effected by her outbreak and unusual behavior. She quickly felt his gaze begin to pierce her like a jagged knife and turned from him. Feeling her tears returning as she looked out towards the waves.

'_Don't cry…_' She told herself.  
'_Don't cry. You're just hearing things… Luffy will be back to normal soon and he'll call you an idiot for crying this much._'

Nami's chest shook as she again tried to calm herself.

"L-Luffy, tell me…" She forced out a grin as she continued to watch the sea.  
"Where do you want to go right now?"

She sucked in her breath through clenched teeth before speaking again.

"We can go wherever you want this time!"

Nami could taste the salt enter her mouth.

"You name it, and I'll take you there! I'll let you choose where we go this time!"

She shook more as she listened to his silent answer.

"So please…" She began to beg as her grin began to give out.  
"Tell me where you want to go… and we'll go there. We'll go have an adventure!"

Nami gasped as she felt Luffy walk beside her, staring out towards the waves along with her. Both watching in silence.

"Tell me," Nami whispered for their ears, "where do you want to go?"

She could see through the corner of her eye as Luffy's chest lifted and fell with an exasperated sigh. Nami's lips fell as she listened to his answer. The tears again coming down and her breathing beginning to fasten.

"I don't care."

"My, my! Have you children come to get a fortune reading?"

Nami couldn't bring herself to turn to the old woman's question. Luffy as well only continued to stare along with her with a blank face. Not caring that he was ruining the girl next to him.

Not caring about anything.

* * *

"My daughter sent you here?" The woman asked.

Nami watched as the old woman smiled while lighting candles around them.

"She's a good girl."

"We aren't here for a fortune. We're just here to…"

Nami sighed when she watched the old woman light and plant incense on the table in front of them. Scooting her own chair in front of the two and planting a crystal ball in front of them all. Nami knew she was in a predicament. Ending awkward conversations with the elderly was not a skill she possessed.

"H-Have you ever heard of a pirate by the name of Jo-?"

"Shhhh!" The old woman hissed and planted a finger to her lips.

Nami humphed and crossed her arms. Offended by the old woman.

"As pirates, I can already tell that you two face many hardships."

Nami gasped as she listened to the old woman speak her wisdom.

"How did you know that we're pirates?" Nami quickly asked, dumbfounded at the discovery.

The old woman chuckled before speaking.

"Your bounties are planted throughout the town. Any dumbass can tell what you two are."

The woman sighed as she planted her wrinkled, shaking hands onto the glowing globe.

"To see pirates grieve though is something I thought I would never see. You've hurt your nakama greatly little girl."

Nami only furrowed her eyes and turned from the old woman.

"I don't believe in this." She bittered out.  
"We only came here because we-" Nami stopped herself as she turned and watched the fortune teller lean over and reach for Luffy's hand.

Nami watched intrigued as the old woman began to stroke up and down on Luffy's palm.

"What're you doing?" Nami quietly asked as she watched the old lady hum in thought.

"This boy has very strong beliefs." The woman mumbled as the she traced across his palm.  
"Not very smart, but believes greatly in doing his own thing… He has his own philosophy, which he follows closely."

"That's right." Nami spoke in awe.

She continued to watch as the lady moved her finger to trace the upper part of Luffy's hand.

"This is strange though…"

Nami began to worry as the lady furrowed her eyes in confusion.

"I've never seen anything like this." She again spoke.

"What?" Nami quickly asked and leaned in closer to look into Luffy's hand.  
"I don't see anything."

Nami didn't pull back as the lady reached for her palm as well, placing both hers and Luffy's next to each other.

"You see this line?" The fortune teller asked as she traced upwards on Nami's palm.

Nami nodded and watched as the lady then pointed towards Luffy's hand.

"It's very dull, you can barely see it, but this boy's heart line is almost near impossible to read." The woman sighed as she brought her head back up and closed her eyes.

"What's a heart line?" Nami quietly asked as she retreated her hand back.

The old lady only jumped from her seat and began to scramble through her many shelves. Pulling papers out and tossing them aside when she realized it wasn't what she sought.

"A heart line is a line that will read emotions." She answered as she continued with the scrolls.

Nami mentally gasped as she listened and watched the lady continue through the papers.

"Never have I met someone with such a dull line. Almost impossible…" The lady spoke before turning to face Luffy.  
"You do feel, don't you boy?"

The fortune teller's eye twitched as he shook his head.

"I see." She croaked out, turning to Nami before speaking again.  
"You are going to have to show him how to feel again."

Nami tucked her lips back as she peered down to her lap.

"I've been doing that for days now, but he doesn't seem to get any better."

Nami gasped as a folded paper was shoved into her face.

"There." The old lady spoke again as she handed off the scroll and sat herself back in her chair.  
"That will help you find Captain Joji."

Nami quickly unfolded the large parcel, unveiling a map into her view.

"That pirate has been said to be spotted many times at that island, but come now tell me, how have you been trying to help his poor soul?"

Nami quickly brushed away any questions about her knowledge of Captain Joji and instead answered her question.

"I just ask him how he feels. That's all I can do."

Nami was brought back as she heard the old woman click in annoyance.

"Che! Talking will get you nowhere! You must show him how to feel!"

Nami couldn't help but frown and tear up to the old ladies harsh words.

"How do I teach him without telling him?" She asked through curled lips.  
"There is no other way to show him!"

Nami felt more tears escape as she watched the old lady howl in laughter.

"HaHA! Little girl." She finally spoke again through her cracked voice.  
"How do you describe a feeling to someone?"

She fortune teller smirked as Nami again only kept her lips curled back.

"To be happy is to be satisfied." The old lady rasped out.  
"To be angry is to be disgusted. Sad is depressed, and fear can be described as nervousness. That is how you describe a feeling!"

The old lady only shook her head as the red, tear-filled eyes, and the faded, blank stare only blinked to her words.

"Little girl, you cannot tell him how to feel if he doesn't even know a feeling in the first place."

She felt no pity for the two pirates as Nami let out a choked howl and buried her face into her palms.

"There is no easy way out of this. Even if this pirate Joji can help, it will still be a great hardship." The old lady again began over the muffled cries.

The fortune teller watched curiously as the boy reached out to pat Nami's fallen hair a few times before withdrawing back to his seat.

"I can see it now though, even at the end of all this, you two kids will fall faster and faster to the bottom."

* * *

"That's great mother could you two out! I do hope you two catch him!"

Nami forced herself to show the waitress a grin. The young lady quickly planted another plate under the boy's chin.

"What a treat!" She spoke as she looked at Luffy.  
"Your girlfriend is buying you another meal today! You 'otta be more grateful to her."

The waitress only smiled at Luffy's carefree stare before continuing back into the kitchen until she was out of sight. Only then did Nami turn back down to look at her own empty plate and frown. Hating this new routine that was about to begin.

"Eat Luffy."

She didn't even look up this time, she didn't want to. She only let a silent tear fall when she heard the clatter of his silverware.

"I can't tell him to feel…" Nami mumbled and shut her eyes as more tears came.  
"I don't even know how to show him!"

She brought her head back up to stare at her fallen captain before her. She could swear she was feeding a stranger.

"It's good. Isn't it Luffy?" Nami forced herself to speak.

Luffy only answered by filling his mouth up again. Nami bit her lip before reaching over the table. Luffy only obliged and swallowed his remainings as his face traveled up to meet with her. Nami holding his chin firmly under her fingers.

"How do I show you how to feel?" She asked.

Not surprised as his stare answered for her. Nami quickly lowered her head. Holding tightly still to Luffy's chin as she bared her teeth and let the water works flow down.

"This is so good…" Nami mumbled through her barred teeth.

She brought her eyes up again to stare into his.

"Say that Luffy." She again smiled through her red, soaked eyes.  
"Say, this food is so good!"

Nami squinted her eyes in pain as she listened to the silence around her. Unknowing at how to tell or show him how to feel.

"Say it!" She finally screamed again.

"This food is so good." Luffy obeyed, putting no emphasis in his words like she had done.

Nami let her shoulders fall as again she went into an uncontrollable crying frenzy. Her fingers slowly traveled down Luffy's chin in a gripping manner as she slumped back into chair.

"S-See?" She choked.  
"It's not so hard."

Luffy only stared past her as Nami's face fell down to table cloth. Burying her head to the side as her hands pulled and tightly gripped on the yellow material. She didn't care that she was pulling plates to the floor as she tugged on the cloth for some sort of support.

"It's not so hard to feel…" She spoke through held breaths of pain and tears as her face turned heated and rose red.

Her mouth unable to close as she felt her nose and eyes run.

"Luffy!"


	3. Chapter 3

Nami softly set her forehead against the cold glass, blinking at the reflection of her neck as the outside rain made it look as though it was soaked. She didn't jump or stagger when she watched the bright light crack in the purple, raining night sky.

"One…" She mumbled.  
"Two, three, four, fi-"

After many hours of skipping sleep and staring out the window, Nami had finally managed to understand tonight's pattern.

"Seven…" She paused, and without doubt listened as the thunder boomed to her number.

She exhaled noisily as she brought her head down, trying to shake off the tiredness before turning back to her work. This well-known window of hers, that she now grew bored of, was truly now how her days and hours were spent. Three days on the new island, where it was rumored Captain Joji often visited, and already Nami was sick of this routine. Staring out from their hotel window, waiting and inspecting the wild sea for any ship. Waiting for both her and her captain's only hope.

"Captain Joji…" Nami mocked with a pout.

The lack of sleep undeniably souring her mood. Nami did have to admit that she was grateful for the old fortune teller's help, but she certainly couldn't deny that she was not a patient woman. Not in this situation at least. Turning back, she watched as her captain lay in heap of blankets and sheets, sleeping gently and without a sound. She pinked with jealousy at the boy as she drew closer to his bedside; yearning for the same rest he was privileged now.

"No." She whispered to herself, tugging on her own blanket as she ogled the boy under her.  
"I shouldn't be jealous of you."

She was answered with a sigh, and she continued to watch as her captain slept. After a few days now, Nami knew this was her new favorite site of him. He was never his bubbly self when he slept back on the ship, and for her while he slept, he always looked as though none of this had ever happened. That he had never had his emotions taken away, that he actually cared and had a conscious.

That he wasn't actually lost.

"But," she murmured, "he is."

Another heave broke out from her chest, and blinking down, she continued to watch Luffy slumber. There were also two other bonuses Nami had discovered while he slept, and like always, while she caught him snoozing, she was not about to pass up the opportunity.

Her eyes never left his peaceful face as she brought her knees lightly to the ground, scooting towards his bedside and only stopping when she was certain her breath could reach his ear. She loved this new game of hers, but only for one reason.

"Luffy…" She whispered into his ear.  
"I know you can hear me."

Bringing her head back up, her eyes glittered as she watched his face scrunch to her words. For Nami now, this was her new rush. Like a drug, she couldn't tear away from it and she craved it every night. Even if his mind didn't agree with it, his body would still move to her breath and that little pained face he made for her excited her to no end.

But, just like a drug, the pleasure only lasted for a short time and Nami's small twinkle soon faded as she watched his face return to nothing. Her heart gave a prick as well as she realized what she was doing. She knew he wouldn't make any other face when she spoke to him, and she felt sick as she came to grasp the idea that she was getting a high over the pained look he would send.

"It's not like it's hurting him." She tried to defend.  
"It's not hurting anyone."

Standing herself up, she knew she needed one more rush. Just one last hope, one last remembrance of what he did best.

Showing his emotions.

Reaching a stretched arm to the sleeping figure, she licked her lips in pleasure. This charge like feeling was always her favorite out of the three. Even if this one only lasted less than a second, she loved it like new found treasure.

With a shaking hand, she ghosted lightly over his sleeping face. Traveling the hand back and forth across his face without really touching him, she stopped when her palm shadowed his nose.

'_Just one more move._' She paused to think in her mind.

The thought of turning back played in her head. Did she really want to disrupt his sleep again tonight, just for her own enjoyment? Her eyes swelled as she realized what she was doing. Just to bring some sort of joy to herself, she would have to disturb the boy once more under her. To keep her emotions balanced she would have to mess with his.

'_He doesn't care..._' She justified in her mind.  
'_It won't hurt anyone._'

With that last minute thought, Nami's palm came slightly down, brushing the tip of his nose. Again her eyes sparkled to the aftermath. Like a desperate gasp of air, Luffy's breath was loud and paced and his eyes widened like saucers. Nami already knew now that it was pointless to pull her arm back because as quick as she was, he had her always beat with speed, and like always she watched as his hand quickly seized her wrist.

She loved it, this drug, this rush, this look on his face, the way he reached for her. Even if it lasted only a second the surprised and desperate face of his had Nami shaking in pleasure, but just as quick though his eyes grew back dull and mouth frowned blank. His face was once again unemotional, and for that reason Nami could never stop the tears from leaking out.

With a hold still onto her, Luffy turned his apathetic face to hers. Unaffected by the silent tears as the two locked eyes. She watched as he moved his lips to ask the same question he had been all night. The same exact one when she stirred him awake.

"Is he here?" He asked lethargically.

Without words, Nami only shook her head no as the tears continued noiselessly down. She watched as his grip on her released and without a care for her, she watched as both his eyes and head rolled back. Once again inviting sleep.

'_Luffy, do you even know what I'm doing to you?_' Nami spoke to herself.  
'_Do you realize that I'm just going to keep doing this all night? There really is something wrong with me..._'

Feeling her stomach twist she slowly made her way back to the window, staring once again towards the roaring sea and storm.

"Do you even realize that there is something wrong with you?"

Gazing into her own reflection, she could not blame the outside rain for making her look as though she was crying. In fact, she looked as though she belonged out there. No longer caring to stand and watch though, she marched her way back over to Luffy's bed. Climbing into it and over the white sheets she once again made a reach for her captain.

However, this time she no longer cared for that rush and instead listened to his moan when she began to pull his arm up. With an un-meaningful groan, Luffy obliged to her unspoken words and lifted himself as Nami pulled for him.

Like a doll, he moved to her movements. His shoulder being forced up to his chin as her shoulder pushed it up with her embrace. His other arm hanging limp over her other arm, he could feel her burying her face into his chest, though he cared nothing for it. Again, he only stared over her and towards the wall with apathetic eyes and feelings, unaffected by the tears that were now soaking his shirt. He only sighed as he felt her pull him in closer.

"Luffy…" She breathed.  
"I'm sorry."

The boy would only blink to her words, yawning occasionally as the girl continued with her cries throughout the night.


	4. Chapter 4

"Ne, Luffy." A soft voice broke through the silence.

With a full mouth, Luffy's eyes slowly traveled to meet up with hers. Unsure at how to react or feel with the seriousness of those other eyes.

"The others..." She spoke in undertone.  
"Do you think the others are looking for us?"

Though their eyes were bolted, Nami's thoughts were distant, so an answer from Luffy was not to be expected.

Nor was it received.

With a swallow, his dark eyes once again returned to his breakfast and Nami was now left staring out the window.

"I bet Zoro's pissed at me." Nami tried snicker at the thought and truth behind her words, but instead found her gaze turning distraught.

The ache in her heart not letting her smile or grin like she was capable of before. Her eyes wrinkled as the others came to mind. She confessed she missed the chime of Sanji's yearn-filled voice, Zoro's loud snores and quiet complaints. Usopp and Chopper's laughter echoing throughout the ship while Robin lightly chuckled at them, she longed to hear her odd nickname called out by their shipwright and, yes, she even missed Brook's skull jokes.

"Luffy, how do you think the others feel right now?" Nami again was speaking out her thoughts, though she honestly searched for no answer.  
"Do you think they're mad that we left, or would they be sad?"

Nami was slightly surprised to actually hear an attempt answer from her now quiet captain.

"I can't feel, so I don't know." He spoke vacantly.

Hearing something new from him was a light in her darkness, but the truth behind his small sentence once again left her in a dark tunnel. No matter which way she turned, the light was never there.

"Heh." Nami scoffed, now ripping her eyes away to look at the eating figure.  
"If it weren't for that tone, Luffy, I'd say you were trying to be a smartass."

She blinked sadly at him when she received no remark.

"But… How can you be a smartass to me when you don't even remember how?" She spoke in a hushed pitch.

A small smile crept onto her face when she saw him pay no heed to hear. He didn't care to feel, so why care to do anything, including listening?

"Baka…" She whispered with a smirk, watching intently to see how he would respond.

Nothing.

At this Nami wasn't surprised at all, but at the same time taking down the fact that this empty boy in front of her was someone who she admired was like a stab to the throat. The pain was so unruly, that she couldn't help but grow cold to her now shallow hero.

'_What's wrong with me?_' She thought while her face scowled.  
'_Why am I getting so upset with him? I know it's not his fault…_'

Though her mind cried out those words, her heart spoke differently.

"_It is his fault!_" It pounded into her chest.  
"_He's not even trying to cooperate! He's just a big, broken idiot..._ "

"Luffy," Nami hissed with a glower, "didn't you hear me? I said you were a moron."

Her eyes narrowed when he again answered with silence.

"I said you were an idiot…" She spat a little louder, letting her teeth bare.

"_That's right!_" Her heart grinded.  
"_If he doesn't want to help himself how does he expect you to?_"

Listening to the cries of her heart and seeing the un-caring nature of her captain, Nami could feel her face begin to boil with fury.

"Can't you hear me?!" Nami finally called out over the crowd.  
"A moron, idiot, bastard!"

Feeling the warm tears teem, Nami quickly stood herself in embarrassment. She had done well these last few days to hold them back, why was it now they were flowing so freely?

"_It's because of him! It's his entire fault!_"

Feeling the crowd's attention on her Nami decided to make her way outside, but not before stopping before Luffy, her heavy breathing not at all catching his attention even though she was less than an inch away. Luffy only continued to do what he was told to do earlier.

Eat.

And at this Nami's heart was again screaming. Poisoning her mind as it pumped within her.

"Look at me, Luffy…" Nami ordered, her tears salting her tongue.

Bringing her arm up and palm flat, not even a thought went through her mind as she prepared herself for what she would do next. Her heart screaming out her unwanted desire.

"_Show him it's wrong! Hurt him so he stops hurting you!_"

With those words pounding into her, she steadied herself. Watching as Luffy slowly raised his face to hers, their eyes once again locking. But at that second, when dark eyes met with hers, Nami's hand faltered. Even with the stance she was in now, the look of complete emptiness was still glued into his eyes. She knew that if she brought that hand down he wouldn't even flinch or turn away.

He would just take the slap. No questions asked, no complaints, no remarks; he would be taking nothing but the sting from her fingers.

And with that knowledge Nami could feel herself almost gagging to what her heart was crying out for her to do. She shook as their stare continued; even behind the nothingness she could see the slight innocence. What good would it do if she were to strike him for reasons he didn't understand? Would she honestly be teaching him a lesson if he didn't even do anything wrong? She would not be teaching him his old ways, and instead be creating something new in him.

Finally, those ignored words in her mind broke through her heart's cries. Screaming this whole time, but only given now the chance to speak.

"_If you hit him,_" it cried, "_then he's no better to you than a street stray! Don't scare him away, he's already lost! He needs you!"_

"T-That's right." Nami spoke, her tears falling to her shakes.  
"What am I doing?"

Nami blinked as the two looked into one another. She couldn't get a grip as to why she was acting like this. One minute, she would want nothing more than to cry in his arms, waiting and hoping for some form of comfort, and then the next minute she could not leave the idea of beating him for what he was doing to her.

"But," she murmured to herself, cupping a hand over her mouth as she shook, "he's not doing this to me…"

With her mind and soul finally agreeing with her, Nami turned her heels towards the door. Throwing a hand back, she motioned for Luffy. Already he knew what she was asking, and without a second thought his fingers entwined with hers, letting the girl show him out the door and towards the right direction. Again, she shook her head as she clawed her cheeks with her other fingers, trying hard to muffle down her hiccups.

'_How do I show you how to feel?_' Nami again thought to herself, giving his loose hand a squeeze.

* * *

"Another day…" Nami sighed, staring bored stiff at the sea in front of her.

She sighed again when she listened to Luffy yawn to her words, making her feel more pathetic as the waves crashed below them. Sitting, waiting, no sounds spoken between the two, Nami hated this. She did admit that this was better than staring out of their small hotel window, but the sounds of the sea, wind, and birds could not make up for a person to person conversation. Catching him from the corner of her eye, she watched as Luffy's lazy eyes locked towards the sea along with hers. She wondered if he was really waiting and anticipating for the ship like she was, or if he again was just taking orders.

"Hey, Luffy." Nami groaned, stretching her back and arms up towards the gray clouds above.  
"Are you happy were going to get you back to normal soon?"

Nami mentally cursed herself at the stupidity of that question. She already knew what his answer would be and the last thing she needed was to hear it again, though she had already pulled herself into that trap.

"I don't care." He spoke.

"Right, right… I know…" She mocked, puffing out her cheeks as she turned back to the sea.

Once again looking towards the moving, turquoise waves.

"You know Luffy," Nami began again, keeping her eyes set to the ocean, "you're making me really sad…"

Again turning her head to the boy, she watched as Luffy kept his eyes to the ocean. Not moving to her moves or words.

"Doesn't it bug you? Making your own nakama cry?" Nami whispered, waiting intently for a reaction.

She was no fool to not understand her captain some, of course she knew it would bug him, she had seen him react to her own tears before. Back at Arlong Park, he had moved to her wails, to her tears, why would this be any different? Perhaps, deep down he really did feel for her but his condition now was lying out in the open, and Luffy was making that very obvious with his answer.

"No."

With a sigh Nami turned her head away. Holding back the tears was not hard this time, she had cried all morning. He had hurt her enough today so his little, unwanted answer was nothing but another small ache in her heart.

"I'm too tired to cry." She moaned to the sea, watching it pull away.

Her eyes began to grow heavier over time, and Luffy's constant yawning was beginning to make her own body feel fatigue and crave light slumber.

"Luffy," she finally yawned out, "let me borrow your shoulder."

Looking over, she patted the sand next to her, beckoning for his closer presence. Something he neither obliged too, nor declined. She smiled at the feel of her lazy head making rest on his strong shoulder and immediately shut her eyes to the pleasant feeling.

"I like this." She murmured for their ears.

Taking in a deep breath, she leaned in closer to her captain. Luffy only stared his dim, lazy eyes to the sea as he felt the girl snuggle into him, unaltered at her bold move. The two stayed like this for some time, Nami trying to catch a nap while Luffy watched for any ships over the horizon, and as expected by Nami the two were silent to one another. Though, she did enjoy the movements to his breathing as her head moved up and down along with his chest.

'_I would of never thought of doing this when Luffy was normal._' Nami spoke with a smile to herself.  
'_I like it though…_'

"I know it's wrong."

Nami's eyes popped open to those words. Lifting her head quickly up, she stared straight at her captain whose eyes were still fixed to the endless blue in front of them. Had he just spoken?

"Luffy, did you just-" Nami began but lightly gasped as she watched Luffy cut her off.

"I know it's wrong that I'm making you cry." He spoke apathetically.

To this, Nami's eyes widened. She wasn't sure what this all meant but words like these were now priceless to her and she watched fixedly as his eyes began to dance with the waves, his thoughts running through his mind. Watching and waiting to see if he would speak again, which he did.

"I'm breaking my promise to that ossan." He mumbled.

"What did you say?" Nami spoke as she leaned in closer, not catching his words but feeling her heart race to his talking.

Her eyes shooting up to meet with his, she watched as his blank face turned slowly to hers. Her hopeful eyes looking into his empty ones.

"I said, I know it's wrong that I'm making you cry."

Watching her smile grow big meant nothing to Luffy, to bring her spirits up did nothing to his mood. So, to bring them right back down for him would be doing the same as lifting them.

"But…" He murmured, turning his head back to the blue.  
"I don't care."

"Eh?" Nami questioned, feeling the panic rise in her again.

"I know it's wrong," Luffy plainly spoke again, "but I don't care."

Not wanting the tears to come again, Nami quickly retorted. Wishing that her words would stop her crying.

"But if you don't care, how do you know it's wrong?" Her voice shook.

She watched as his figure moved none to what she had just asked. He just held his knees together and stared out towards the ocean, doing what he was ordered to do. She gasped lightly as realization hit her dead on, recalling what the bartender from long ago had told her.

'"_You see, though they have no feelings, sub-consequently they know what is right from wrong." _'

"That's not what I want though…" Nami hissed to herself, letting a few drops escape.

She took a moment to wipe them away before turning back to Luffy.

"Do you even care to get your emotions back?" Nami questioned.

"No."

"Then why are you sitting here with me and waiting for that pirate? If you don't care, why don't you just do what you want to do?"

Nami felt slightly surprised at the speed Luffy was answering. In a way, it was like the two were once again conversing, but with a huge price to pay that she could almost pass up.

"Because I know it's right. I'm doing what you're doing, which is the right thing to do."

Biting her lip, Nami turned her head away. How in the world could she reply to that, what more could she say to him without her heart throbbing? Not wanting to express any more words, she held herself into a ball and once again let her head find the soft spot on his shoulder, letting the tears quietly stream down. Another shot of ache ran through her when she felt his head lean on top of hers. The two leaning into each other without words spoken, she had no idea if he was doing this because he thought it was right or if fatigue was catching into him as well.

"I'm sorry."

"You're not…" Nami whispered, hoping to hear him argue.

"I'm not." He mumbled, letting his hair brush with hers.

Even if it wasn't intentional Nami could almost curse the boy for his words. Trying to apologize without really apologizing was wrong, even if it looked right, and to hear him say that was like another stab to throat.

Unruly and savage.

"You understand that there's something wrong with you then?" Nami questioned after some time.

"Aa."

"But you don't care…" Nami let out a small laugh, now understanding this new captain.

Though the tears were still coming.

"Luffy," she spoke again, "do you think it was right or wrong that I left the others?"

Left with silence, Nami once again felt her heart panic. She had done that right thing, hadn't she? Or was it that he wasn't listening again? Whichever the case, she was never given an answer. The stillness in their voices over time brought her silent tears to a halt and was left to rest on her captain's shoulder, his head brushing on top of hers as she slumbered.

* * *

This one day for Nami, with everything that had already happened, was proving to be a hardship for the tough navigator.

"Where are you?!" She spoke with fright, glancing around the town.

"Watch it lady…"

Being pushed around on a busy street seemed to unfazed the troubled girl, and instead she searched frantically for the boy who had left her in her sleep.

"Idiot," she mumbled, "where are you?"

Taking another quick glance around, she turned her heels and again ran down the dusty road. Panic shaking her and making her frantic in her search.

'_Idiot, where did you go?! For someone who doesn't care to do anything…geez._'

Stopping again, she quickly spun around. Looking for that familiar straw hat that she was well acquainted to. She cried out in despair when she saw nothing but the town's people pass and push by her and again was put into top speed.

"Luffy!" She called out as she ran by.  
"Where are you?!"

A mistake Nami would later greatly regret, she cringed when she heard the screams echo around her but carried on her flight. Desperate to find the lost boy.

"Luffy? Did she say Luffy?!"

"Isn't that, that Mugiwara kid?! The crazy pirate?!"

"That girl, I recognize her face! She's part of that crew!"

"The Marines! Someone tell them that those disgusting pirates are here!"

"Damn it." Nami cursed as people backed to make way for her.  
"If the Marines come, then we can't stay on this island."

She hissed as the obvious pattern came into view.

"That captain never came… We won't be able to see him."

Brushing off the thought, she instead focused on the task that was ahead of her now. Find Luffy, then she could figure the rest later.

'_But where is he?_' She screamed in her mind.  
'_What if somebody took him? A bounty hunter?!_'

She shook her head frenetically at the thought. The idea of her captain dead could not even play in her mind, who would be the blame but her? Already she was guilty and grieved that something like this had happened.

"Ah!"

Crying out, she tripped as she felt a hard object plant against her head. She hissed at the sense of the dirt breaking her fall and cut at her face, hands and knees.

"Ouch…" She moaned, pushing herself back up.

She called out again when she felt another jagged piece bruise her head. Turning to the source, she jeered as she watched the mischievous eyes of kids glaring at her, juggling rough rocks in their hands. She gasped as another was thrown her way, her arm paying the price as it ripped through her delicate skin.

"Get out of our town… Pirate!"

"Shit…" With a small curse, Nami quickly raised to her feet.

Staggering slightly as she paced her way out of the road and into a secluded area of the town. Away from houses and people, she decided that her search for her captain would have to be unwillingly postponed until darker hours.

"Damn it." She huffed, feeling her tears run along down with the blood.

The last thing she wanted was to leave Luffy behind. Like a mother to a child, she could almost feel herself turning back, risking everything than leaving behind a lost child. But in her mind she knew this would be the only option for now. If she had a hard time finding him then for definite the town's people would as well. Along with the fear Luffy had now put into his name, she doubted anyone would go after him except marines, which were now probably to be expected in the next day or two.

"This is all my fault… I shouldn't have slept." She wailed, racing her way now up a cliff and away from the town behind her.

Nami could think of nothing but Luffy now as she traveled higher and higher up the mount. The dark gloomy clouds of the day were now finally bringing something she had failed to predict, snow. Though the chill, that was now becoming clearer, fell short to make the navigator stop hers ways up.

'_Away from the town…_' She tried to repeat in her head.  
'_Get away from the town. Maybe they'll think we left and the Marines won't come at all_.'

Though those words were repeated, there was something else pulsing in her mind. Just one word that made her heart twist and turn in grieve, guilt, and defeat.

'_Luffy._'

Making her way closer to the top, Nami had no intentions of stopping her legs. She could think of nothing more than running all the way to the edge of this cliff. The only thing now that could stop her was either the sight of Luffy or the sight of death at the edge of this high hill. She gasped as she finally made her way to the top, one of the two things had come into her path, making her legs freeze at the sight.

The sight of death.

"Where am I?" Nami whispered, staring out at the group in front of her.

Hastily making her way behind a tree, Nami hid as she stared out to the mourning group. Clothed in black, weeping, and swarmed around a risen casket she could quickly conclude what she was watching, a funeral. Taking in the grave stones circled around her she finally understood where she had ran herself to.

A cemetery.

Nami tightly hugged herself as she continued to watch the cheerless ceremony, the snowy winds finally catching her in their cold hold.

'_This is depressing…_' Nami thought to herself, watching as a bulky woman threw herself to casket, hugging and crying all the while.

Blowing into her hands to keep some heat, her eyes began to travel over the many trees. She gasped as her eyes fell to the one person who was out place. Neither in black, nor mourning or weeping she hissed as the figure stood and watched. Out in the open, but still some distance away from the bereavement assembly, Nami watched as her captain stared out to the funereal in front of him. Not moving to the chill or wind.

Nami moaned at the stupidity of his actions. At any minute that group could turn and spot him, at any second their plans could come crashing down on them because of him.

"Luffy…!" Nami rasped out as loud as she could, wanting to get her captain's attention and no one else.

She shrunk back as his head twisted eerily her way, his dim eyes glowering at her from the call of his name. Shaking the feeling quickly off, she swept her hand back for him to see. Motioning for him to come.

"Come here." She mouthed.

Her eyes furrowed when she saw him move none to her words and instead turn back to the scene playing in front of them.

"Tch… Baka." She spat.

Letting the irritation guide her, Nami moved to the clueless boy ahead of her.

"Luffy…" She hissed, grabbing a hold of his hand.  
"What're doing? We're going to be spotted! Why did you leave me, I was worried!"

Pulling him along she huffed at his idiotic nature.

"This is wrong?"

"Eh?" Nami blinked as she listened to the young man behind her.

Turning back, she watched curiously as Luffy continued to stare at the funeral. Letting his hand go, she too turned to the scene. Being close enough to hear the group now, she cringed as the bulky woman's voice came to her ears.

"No!" She screamed.  
"I don't care what you all think! He's not dead… My baby is not dead!!"

"Poor lady…" Nami breathed, watching as the woman was pulled back from the lowering casket.

Turning back to Luffy, her eyes furrowed at his fascination of the situation.

"You're wondering if this is wrong?" She questioned.

Watching his head nod, she sighed at his question. Shouldn't he already know this answer?

"No, it's wrong." She whispered for his ears.

"Hnnn." He hummed, almost uninterested in her answer.

"Death isn't wrong." She spoke again.  
"It seems wrong, but it's not something we can stop."

Furrowing her eyes at the scene, the thoughts of Bellemere-san passed through her mind, and the innocent life that was cruelly taken away from her.

"But," Nami continued, "taking life is very wrong."

"Ho…" Luffy again answered.

The two continued to watch in silence as the crowd disappeared, tears being shed as they made their way back down, save the one bulky woman who continued her wails.

"Then…" Luffy began, catching Nami's attention.  
"What I did… It was wrong?"

"Huh? What're talking about, Luffy?" Nami asked, confusion and worry etching into her.

"I wonder if his mom cried like that…" He mumbled.

Feeling the wheels in her head begin to spin, Nami finally realized what Luffy was speaking.

"Captain Calibri…" She whispered.

Turning to look at his dim eyes, Nami's heart fell. Would he really understand if she explained?

"That guy was going to kill me. You did the right thing, Luffy." She murmured for two.

"Hnn…" He hummed again.  
"Then, you're wrong. It's okay to kill."

"NO!" Nami panicked.

The last thing she wanted to teach him was that killing was right. The last thing she wanted was to see him take a life over something trivial, much like an old boss she remembered.

"Then I'm wrong." He breathed again.

"No, Luffy, it's…" Nami sighed sadly at the situation.

He just couldn't understand in the condition he was in now. With another sigh she continued.

"What you did was right. Just remember that you're nakama come first in everything, okay?"

"Aa." He answered plain.

Turning back once again, Nami watched as the gloomy mother began her way down. Watching in silence, she made no attempt to move from the chilly spot and just let the snow and wind engulf them.

"Nami…"

Turning her head once again back to him, she watched as Luffy brought a hand up to tuck away his hair from the wind. She swallowed in confusion at the sight of the small ring on his finger, its pirate eyes as dim as Luffy's because of the cold.

"Look, isn't it pretty?" He spoke ritually, almost as if he were a machine.

She turned to look where his eyes led to. All she could spot was the many graves and snow.

"You mean the snow? You think the snow is pretty?"

"Nami, look. Isn't it pretty?"

She sighed at the boys bewildered words, but before she was given the chance to speak a voice called behind them. Turning to the source, Nami gasped as she watched a man ran his way to them.

'_We've been found!_' Panicking, she could not feel her feet move to her cries, and instead gaped as the man stood before them.

A look of terror and fatigue placed on his face. He huffed a few times before acknowledging the two.

"I knew there was a funeral…" He huffed.  
"I came here to stop it. You two, you have to hurry back to your homes!"

"Why?" Nami breathed out, grateful that the man neither recognized the two.

"He's back!" The man took a breath in before speaking.  
"That pirate Joji... He's come back."


	5. Chapter 5

"I wonder if one of those guys is him…"

Peering from a distance, Nami furrowed her eyes at the empty ship, save two people, who stood themselves steady at the ships only available entry.

"No, can't be. They look too much like lackeys." She softly spoke for her and Luffy.  
"I wouldn't expect a captain and crew to stay onboard while on an island, they must be in town."

Clicking her tongue in thought, she tossed her head back to the rundown houses behind her. Passed her captain, who was currently staring at the grey clouds above them, she stared down the now empty streets, debating as she looked on.

"Should we go look for him or should we wait here?" She mumbled to herself, staring still at the now white road.

Blinking as the winds blew the white powder around them, she couldn't help but smile at this situation.

'_No matter what,_' she thought triumphantly to herself, '_I did it! Luffy will be back to normal! We can go back to the others and go back to finding One Piece!'_

She again smiled with contentment. Glad to know that the ache within her heart, the countless tears she had shed, and this overall hardship would soon be over. With the thought repeating in her mind she threw her head up to give off a small chuckle, turning to her captain when she had finished her display of thrill.

"What do you think?" She grinned.

Even though the answer was already there Nami didn't mind to hear it this time. For soon she would be hearing Luffy's childlike laughter and his unwise decisions once again, and that thought itself was already changing her dim temper into a blissful mood.

"Should we wait here or go look for this Joji guy?" She asked again.

Staring high up with a gaped jaw, Luffy was silent in his answer and seemed now to care only for falling snow.

"Luffy…?" She questioned again after some time.  
"What do you want to do?"

She simply shrugged at Luffy's effortless answer. He simply mouthed out the words as his attention focused above him.

"I don't care."

"Don't think this was all free, Luffy." Nami snickered.  
"You're going to pay me for all of this as soon as we get back to the others and Sunny."

She stuck her tongue out in naughtiness before spinning to the ship again. Furrowing her eyes in thought, she again debated on what to do.

"Mmmm…" She moaned, still focusing in on the two guys in front of them.  
"It would probably be best to wait here."

Speaking for the both of them, she stood to rest her hands on her hips. Proud of herself for finally placing the final pieces of the puzzle together on this long, harsh game.

"Alright." She spoke with a risen fist.  
"We wait here, that way there's no way to miss this Joji guy."

Giving herself one last nod, and one more pat on the back, she turned to her fallen captain. His eyes still plastered on the sky above him. Curiosity getting the better of her, Nami walked to stand with her captain, her eyes rising up with his.

"What're you looking at, Luffy?" She finally questioned.

With her eyes still on the grey clouds above her, she followed as Luffy's arm came into view. She turned her head to pursue where his hand was now aiming at. Squinting her eyes, she watched as his finger rested in air and pointed towards one of the many tall, dead trees that surrounded them.

"You're looking at trees?" She questioned, her eyes still peering as she passed through the many.

Her eyes widened slightly as a new color made itself clear through the white snow and grey trees.

"Ah, a cardinal?" She whispered.

Shoving Luffy's arm out of her view, she focused now on the little, red bird.

"It is a cardinal… Dumb thing." She spoke harshly, taking in the creatures light shivering.  
"It should have followed its family. It's lost now, it'll freeze by tomorrow morning."

Brushing off the bird, she closed her eyes uncaring to turn from the scene. Only opening them to again watch the two men ahead of them pace back and forth. Shivering lightly when a gust blew by.

"Damn." Nami shivered.  
"If we have to stay like this any longer, we won't even make it through the night…"

"Nami."

Turning to the effortless voice, she watched as the wind blew at her captain's hair. Lifting the ebony strands up to brush against his ear and cheek. She blinked a few times, waiting for him to continue on with his sentence, watching him as he brought his hand up to tug his hair back against the gust. Her present to him neither shimmering nor changing as it rested on his finger.

"What is it?" She sighed, unexpected that he would speak up.

"Look." He plainly spoke, still resting his hand on his ear where she could see.  
"Isn't it pretty?"

"Why do you keep asking that?" She asked with slight concern.

When she saw his gray, dim eyes travel back down to the snow in quietness she quickly forgot about her question. She could just ask him again, perhaps in a few hours even, when he was back to normal. Still setting her eyes on him, another thought came to her as she saw the white flakes dance around the both of them. Smirking devilishly, she threw her head back once again to the ship.

"No reason to stay out here and freeze to death." She spoke as she turned back to Luffy.  
"The last thing I need is to have you getting sick."

Making a quick reach for his hand, she skidded her way down the muddy hill. Pass the many dead trees, and dragging her captain along with her, she prayed that these men would recognize her now in distress captain.

"Just stay quiet and follow me, Luffy." Nami whispered, now standing herself tall and marching through the bushes.

"Who's there!?"

She watched as the two men in front of her now raised their weapons to the two of them, their eyes furrowing deeper when they were given no explanation. Keeping her head held with pride, Nami too furrowed her eyes as she came close up with the two men. Their rifles, unmoving from head.

"Go home little lady." One of them seethed.  
"Unless you want to taste lead."

The two snickered as one of them dropped their rifle, now aiming at Nami's mouth, her lips almost coming close to kiss the tip of the weapon. Still, she kept her body steady, despite the threat and chill. Nothing was going to make her turn away, nothing could scare or chase her off, she had reached this new goal, she was going to save her captain no matter what.

"My captain would like to speak with Captain Joji." She spoke professionally, puffing her chest high up.

One of the men raised an eyebrow to her, his gun still set on her delicate mouth.

"Pirates eh?" He smirked.

The other man snickering as he too aimed his gun high at Luffy.

"Our ol' captain don't speak with small fry's." His throat shook.

This time, Nami gulped when she felt his weapon jab at her neck. Keeping her cool though, she continued on.

"I don't think you quite understand who we are…"

As if a play with a script ready on hand, the two turned their heads to the other lackey. His small cry of shock and now light whimpers were music to Nami's ears.

'_Bingo._' She thought with a smirk.

"A-A-A…" The lackey quickly fell back, his finger pointing at the man that had now sent him into fear.  
"That's Mugiwara no Luffy."

"Mugiwara?" The other man whispered, his eyes furrowing as he stared hard into Luffy's expressionless face.

Again Nami smirked as she saw the man's face contort with realization.

"All we ask for is a warm room on this ship while we wait. Nothing more." Nami grinned as troubled eyes met with hers.  
"That's not too much for me and my captain is it?"

Watching the man's face play his emotions, she again stuck out her chest. Grateful once for the bounty on their heads. With an irritated sigh, the lackey again turned to Nami. His face frowning as hers smiled.

"I'll have to check you both first. You can't bring weapons on board…" He mumbled, clutching hard onto his useless weapon.

"Of course!" Nami chirped.

* * *

"Go ahead and sleep." Nami softly spoke.

She smiled lightly as she brought her hand to her captain's shoulder. Pushing him lightly back till she was sure his now wet, cold head found the soft, warm pillow. She again smiled when she took in his emotionless face, his eyes lidded as his body took over his wants.

"I promise to not wake you up this time until he's here." Nami again reassured, though she knew deep down her captain cared none.

She never again would have any reason to stir him awake. She soon would be privileged to see all his emotions once again instead of disturbing him to just get a glance of one. She soon would be over this drug, and getting a new high off of his cheery face. She blushed lightly when she saw his eyes fall, his sleeping face almost beckoning her to be touched, and tortured with her little ear game . Turning away though, she stood herself and brushed by his bed, pass the room, and towards her own bed.

She sighed lightly at the feel of the soft cotton wrapping around her small frame. Burying her cold body into the mattress, and letting her wet hair stain the soft pillow. Her eyes grew heavier over time as she watched the small flame of the candle dance its lights against the walls. Both light and shadow battling for the solid partition. With a yawn before, she smiled at her, soon to be, accomplishment.

'_I did it..._' The thought once again popped into her mind.  
'_The next time I wake up, this Joji guy will be ready to fix him._'

With that final thought, Nami shut her eyes to the light snores of her captain. Letting sleep take her in as well.

* * *

Nami awoke with a gasp. Her eyes flying open as she listened to the roaring thunder around her, the black clouds swarming above her as the lightning cracked spontaneously.

"Where am I?" She spoke, turning her body around and taking in the wild Amazon around her.  
"This isn't the ship! Where-?!"

She cried out when she watched a flash erupt in front of her. The dirt flying up to her face as she was brought to her bottom.

"Luffy!" She cried out, bringing her hand back up to brush the debris.  
"Where are you?!"

Picking herself, she dashed down the dirt path. Taking in the green around her, she gasped as she realized where she was. The giant beanstalk coming into view confirmed her suspicions.

"What am I doing here?! In Upper Yard?!"

Crying out, she listened as the lightning aimed for her once again, and again, and again. As she ran closer to Giant Jack, Nami huffed as comprehension hit her. The lightning still following closely behind.

"Enel…" She hissed.  
"He's aiming for me."

She could think of nothing now as she ran farther and farther down the path, overtime growing accustom to the cracking's behind her. But soon she could feel her breath faltering, and her legs growing tired as she carried on.

"Luffy…" She puffed.  
"Where…?"

Catching up to the bottom of Giant Jack, her eyes widened as a spot of red caught her eye and now found herself racing madly towards it.

"Luffy!" She cried, no longer hearing the strikes behind her.

Though she was filled with questions, bewildered at how they had gotten there, only one thing ran in her mind. She felt as though there was something else controlling her as she looked to her captain, someone was making her move, making her speak. Just like a puppet, pulling on her strings, and she could do nothing to control it. With fright in her eyes she watched as her captain's head was tossed back, staring straight up the giant bean stalk and towards the swimming clouds above them. She followed those eyes, furrowing hers when she saw the familiar flying ship.

"Luffy." She spoke again to him, feeling as though her words were being spoken by someone else.  
"Stop him. Save the Skypeia."

Out of all the sentences in the world, why was it that one that came out? Shouldn't she instead be asking what in the world they were doing there? How Enel had come back? Anything else but ordering him was on her mind.

"No…"

"Eh?"

Crying out again, her head circled around as she watched the lightning once again strike around them. Its wallops coming down almost rhythmically as the flashes circled around them.

"Luffy!" She cried again, turning her face to his.

She gasped as she caught a glimpse of his look. Her body shaking as she watched those awful, grey eyes turn to hers.

"I don't feel like it." He drawled.

Watching his face turn back to the scene above him, she could feel her lips curling back. Light tears shedding at the corner of her eyes from both anger and woe from her captains words.

"This isn't about whether you feel like it or not!" She finally snapped, letting anger take control.

Reaching for his arm she grasped it roughly, shaking it as she forced his bored face to look at her red one.

"This is about life and death! People's lives are at stake!" She spat in his face.

Her heart growing heavier when she saw his eyes never move, nor shine to her words.

"Don't tell me you don't care about that either…"

She could feel her breath quicken and heart pace when she felt his arm slide through her hands. Panicking when his eyes stuck to hers, and spoke in a lazy fashion.

"I don't care."

Turning his head back to the cracking sky, he did not move to the girl's tears.

"Everyone on this island is going to die." She spoke lightly, hoping to get through to him.  
"If you don't even care, then you shouldn't care about helping them either."

Again, her heart sank when she was acknowledged no more and felt the bigger tears begin to fall. Flowing from her eyes like rain and striking the ground along with the lightning. She could only keep her body stiff as she watched him, trying hard to hold back her flow, and with overwhelming sniffles trying to speak again.

"Luffy…" She finally managed out, and again reached for her captain.

This time instead of forcing him to look at her, she wrapped her arms around him. Pulling him closer to her as she buried her swollen face _into_ his ripped vest. Unmoved by the girl's move, he only continued to watch the swinging ship above him.

"Please…" She muffled into his vest.  
"Please do something…"

The lightning no longer making her squirm and jump, she could only cry as it aimed closer to them.

"Don't say you don't care if I die. Please don't say you don't care if you die." She continued to whisper to his vest.

Pulling him in closer to her, she let her head roll on his chest. Clinging onto him in desperation to make him move.

"Please." She begged one last time.  
"Please…"

"Nami, Look. Isn't it pretty…?"

With a true gasp, Nami awoke with widened eyes. Her head bolting straight from the pillow and into the air, catching her heart as she did so. Her breaths coming out into a panic as she trembled while holding onto her pounding heart.

"What was that…?" She whispered out.

Feeling a film a sweat travel down her face.

'_Dream_' She thought, her breaths not letting her speak.  
'_Just another bad dream._'

Sitting on her bed still, she closed her eyes in hopes of calming herself sooner, letting go of her heart as she did so. Over time, listening to the ship and Luffy's breathing, she became tranquil. Opening her eyes when she felt her breath and shakings stop and even out, she took in the scenes around her.

Once again, she was back inside the ships small room. The candles flame now grown dimmer throughout the time. With a sigh, Nami let a small smile creep back on.

No more would she have to deal with this.

Bringing a hand up to wipe the sweat from her face, she winced. The feeling of cold wet drops had escaped her eyes, she was sure she was stained with tears. She quickly wiped off the remains.

"I can't see that Joji guy looking like this…" She softly spoke.

Feeling her legs tingling, she looked down to see why they had numbed. Gaping lightly when her eyes met with her captain's head.

"When did he-?" She stopped herself, not in too much curiosity to wonder why he had moved to her.

She again smiled when she saw his arms and head roll on her legs. His body still sitting on the floor as he rested against her.

"Were you watching me cry?" She spoke softly, bringing her hand out to pat softly against his hair.  
"Were you trying to comfort me?"

With a smile still, she brought her hand back from his hair. Not wanting yet to stir him awake.

'_That's right…_' She thought.  
'_You wouldn't leave me to die, you wouldn't sacrifice yourself for nothing._'

With a sigh, she let her eyes travel to ceiling above her. Closing her eyes to the creaking sound the ship passed off.

'_Wait a minute… Creaking sounds?_'

Widening her eyes, she could feel the hairs on the back of her neck rise. The idea sending a series of shocks through her body.

"They wouldn't have!" She cried.

She quickly flipped her legs out of the bed and onto the floor. Unmoved as she felt her leg give a blow to her captains head and send him flying a ways back and she instead raced her way up the stairs. Throwing herself from the warm room and into the night's windy snowstorm. She gasped when her fingers reached for the icy rail, the sight making her body tremble.

"No way…" She mouthed.

Dropping slowly to her knees as the sight continued to play in front of her.

"How long have they been sailing?" She again whispered.

Turning her eyes back to the black waves, her heart cringed. She and Luffy were now once again sailing the seas, this time though, she had no clue to where.

Feeling Luffy's feet finally reach to her, she decided to toss the thoughts away. Now was not the time. Perhaps maybe this would even be better for them! When Luffy was back to normal, maybe this ship would take them closer back to their nakama. Since now she had no idea where they were at.

"Or maybe their taking us farther away…" She gulped at the thought.

A cough was finally what brought Nami back to her senses. Cringing at the unfamiliar choke, she slowly turned her head to the side. Shivering lightly in embarrassment at the many pirates who had witnessed the whole scene. All of them too confused to speak up, and now only throwing the two looks of bewilderment.

"AH!"

She finally heard one of them cry out, and turning her head to him she watched as one the lackey's from before reached for his hair. Pulling at it as his jaw dropped to her.

"Shimattaaaa!!" He cried.  
"I forgot about you two!!"

She moaned an irritation as the man raced for her. The other pirates bellowing out in laughter as the drama played before them.

"Who are they?" Some of the pirates called out through their laughter.

"Are they new or something?"

"Oi, oi! Target practice maybe?"

"Idiots!" The lackey called out as he continued to race towards Nami, pushing men out of his way as he did so.  
"This is Mugiwara no Luffy and his navigator! They want to speak with the captain!"

Those words echoed throughout the ship as laughter suddenly turned silent, and again all eyes were on Nami and Luffy. She watched as eyes of confusion were replaced with eyes of shock. Some of them murmuring, but still all to quiet for Nami to make out.

"Somebody go inform the captain!" The lackey finally called out, stopping only inches away from Luffy.

"H-Ha!"

She heard a few pirates cry out before feeling hand pull her back up.

"There, there." The lackey quickly spoke, brushing off the snow from her shoulders.  
"So sorry about that you two. I'm sure you can figure-"

Bringing an arm up, Nami slapped at the man's hand. The prize too close for her now to listen to words or reason.

"Joji." She spoke calmly.  
"Take us to him."

"Well you see, the captain has only been informed now and on such a short notice-"

The man cringed as Nami's eyes turned to furrow at him, her death glare affecting him as Luffy's dim eyes watched on.

"Now…" She ordered with a threaten tone.

The man's eyes quickly fell, seeing that he was sure to be punished in either situation.

"This way…" He finally spoke.

Leading both Captain and Navigator through the snowy storm, and into the ships main halls. Leading them both to the goal they so desperately reached for. The final piece to the puzzle, the only hope they had clung so hard to and still did.

To Luffy's savior.

For long minutes the two walked side by side, following the short man down the hall. Watching as wooden boards became beautiful, golden walls. Reaching for the end of the hall as doors of with precious stones on them came into view. Wider and taller than all three of them put together.

'_This guy must loaded…_'

Nami quickly shook the thought away; she could not get on this captain's bad side. Her precious desires would have to be put on hold. Licking her lips in both nervousness and excitement, she watched as the doors slowly opened for them. Squeaking as the slowly opened a new path for them.

Her eyes widened to the enormous golden room, following the small man as he led them onto the red carpet. Riches shining in the light and flashing onto their faces. She gaped lightly when the small man in front of her stopped in front of tall, long seat, a bulky man resting upon it. His giant hand forcing his bull like neck up, as he lay with closed eyes.

"C-Captain, I'm sure as you are well informed that two pirates-"

"Well informed?" His voice boomed in the room.

With his eyes still closed though, he took no notice of the now shaking lackey, gaping orange haired girl, and emotionless boy in front of him. Hearing the quietness play out though, it seemed the man decided to take and end this soon.

"You're dismissed." He spoke more quietly this time.  
"Leave me with these two."

With a nod and acknowledged words, Nami was pushed lightly aside as the small man pushed through her. Scrambling out of the room and back into the snowstorm. At this, Nami took once last glance at her captain, who in some way seemed to be doing the very same with her. His eyes still empty as he stared into hers, his frown the same it had been for the passing weeks. Taking in one more deep breath, she turned from him, now focusing at the captain in front of her. Glad to know those empty eyes she just stared at would be the last.

"So, Mugiwara." The room again boomed.  
"What is it you are wanting to discuss with me?"

Nami frowned lightly at Joji's acknowledgment of them. His eyes were still set close as if any minute he would be allowed to venture into a dream world without finishing with them first. Speaking up, she took a step forward.

"Captain Calibri." She began, hoping that this would grab his attention.  
"Were you aware that he was dead?"

Nami moved none when she saw his violet eyes flutter open. She was proud she had hit the spot, but at the same time wary of how this huge man in front of her would react. Keeping her face firm, her eyes continued to stare into his. Surprised that his eyes only moved from hers to Luffy's without any words being spoken. Blinking a few times, his stare began to furrow at Luffy. Words still not being exchanged, he turned his eyes back to Nami. Sighing in irritation as he forced himself to sit up against his lounge.

"Dorobo Neko." He groaned.  
"This isn't at all about my little brother's death, is it?"

"Eh?"

Nami again widened her eyes as his violet ones set to hers.

"How do you know my-"

"This is all about him, isn't it?" He again sighed, nodding his head to Luffy.

Turning back to her, she nodded. Feeling her eyes glitter in achievement.

"Please," she began to beg, "his emotions were-"

"I know already. Their eyes are always the same." Joji again sighed.  
"My brother was certainly dim. Hoping to get this man to join his crew?" Joji again chuckled as he turned to Luffy.  
"What an idiot."

"What do you mean?" Nami questioned, now privileged to hear why that captain had done what he had done to Luffy.

"Heh…" He again sighed, not wanting to explain.  
"I'm sure you've already seen it. I'm sure Mugiwara bends to your every word, follows every command you give him."

Nami nodded.

"Can you imagine what destruction he could do, given he was in the right hands?" Again he focused his eyes at Luffy

"What do you mean right hands?" Nami spat back.  
"He isn't some puppet to command! He's human! Like you and me!"

Her furrowed eyes met again with his and this time he stared hard into her. Taking in her words? She didn't know. Angry at her for speaking to him? She didn't know, and certainly didn't care. Instead, she watched as he reached for a tin pack next to him, pulling and lighting a cigar before speaking again.

"The bartender you spoke to. Tell him to stop sending you people to me… Got it!?" He roared, filling the room in with smoke.

"Wait a minute!" Nami cried back.  
"I need you to fix him! Bring Luffy-"

She was cut off by a boisterous laughter. Something she did not expect, and just like that she felt her heart plummet. Hours before she was smiling, laughing, in pure bliss that her captain was about to be brought back, and now that laugh… That hideous, monstrous laugh was like a shoe to her hopes. Smashing, and grinding them hard into the ground.

"And what exactly makes you think _I _have the power to do that?"

Again, Nami froze with fear. Her worst nightmare now playing in front of her.

"You think I can bring Mugiwara back to normal? Did you think I had some sort of power?" Again he laughed, the choking black smoke now engulfing the room.  
"That's why I am telling you now. Tell that bartender to stop sending me your kind, I am tired of hearing these tales."

Staring at the ground now, Nami could not speak up. She could feel nothing as her chest heaved heavily back and forth. Her world spinning as she felt her head grow heavy and dizzy.

"You want my advice?" He spoke again, tapping his cigar lightly.  
"I too once experienced Calibri's curse. I too had everything taken from me, only to be brought back by our mother's order to him."

Again he blew into the air.

"It is the worst feeling in the world. Not feeling a thing." He spoke calmly as Nami's wide eyes turned to his.  
"There is no word in the world that can explain a feeling you're not even suppose to feel."

Taking his eyes off her, he whispered to his golden ceiling. Recalling back what had happened to him that now Luffy was experiencing.

"It's like you're lost."

Taking his time and silence, he sucked in the smoke a few more times.

"Kill him."

"Eh?"

This time, getting a reaction, Nami's eyes widened to his words.

"If you truly care for your captain, if you risked just coming here, the best advice I can give you is to kill him." Joji spoke plainly.  
"Not a feeling to remember, not a care to make you budge, his life is nothing but complete emptiness. Darkness…"

Again, Joji stared off towards the wall. Recollecting still, no doubt, at the past.

"There is no light in the dark tunnel he is now in. Nothing but darkness. Rid him of that darkness Dorobo Neko." Blowing out the smoke he repeated.  
"Kill him."

Listening now to the young girl wail below, Joji quickly tossed the cigar aside. Not caring at what he had just done, he was far too used to his brother's actions by now.

"It isn't fair…"

He heard her whimper, taking in a sigh he now grew tired.

"Dorobo Neko no Nami and Mugiwara no Luffy. Leave my ship now…"

Bringing her tears up to the man, she choked on her words before finally throwing them out.

"How?!" She cried in both anger and despair.  
"This ship is moving as we speak! There's no way-"

"Leave my ship now." Joji's voice boomed.  
"For if we are to lay eyes on each other ever again, your bounty along with your lives will be taken by me…"


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey… Wake up…"

Seeing only the white around her, Nami pondered at where and who the voice belonged to.

"…Hey…" The voice slowly called again.  
"…Get up…"

'_Why?_' She answered back.  
'_Leave me alone._'

She hated that voice for disturbing her peaceful rest. It had been so long since she had felt this warm, this soothing; she wouldn't trade the feeling for anything right now. Hearing the voice again call out, her curiosity was soon dragging her away from her placated world of white.

"…Hey…" The voice spoke soft and slow.  
"…Get out of there…"

'_No…_' Nami argued, wondering why she could not feel her body.  
'_Let me stay… Please, just a little longer_.'

"Do you want to get yourself killed…?"

Seeing the white begin to darken, Nami could now feel her body move as the voice grew louder.

'_Why?_' She thought.  
'_Why am I here? Where am I?_'

With the questions arising, Nami's wonderful peaceful world was turning back into its cruel, un-fair scheme she was all too familiar with.

"Get out of there!"

The voice was becoming clearer.

'_Luffy._' Nami thought  
'_That's right, Luffy. Where's Luffy? Something's wrong with him…_'

"Are you trying to kill yourself boy?!"

Fluttering her eyes open, Nami was reunited with her dark world. With her body still aching, she simply stared out to the scene around her; watching as white flakes waved down onto her body, and listening to the crashing waves behind her. She sighed as she buried her head deeper into her pillow of snow, surprised mildly at how warm and inviting it actually felt, and simply pondering as she felt the icy water behind her swim back and forth against her legs.

'_I want to sleep…_' She spoke to herself, once again letting her eyes flutter.

"Boy! Don't make me come after you!"

Feeling her eyes open to the voice, Nami again wondered who the speaker was. Forcibly and slowly, she began to raise herself. Hissing as her cold head left her white, powdered pillow; she now felt the burning chill sweep throughout her body. With her body still protesting, she was only capable of bringing herself up to a sitting position. Her eyes still fighting against her to let them fall as she stared out to the white beach she now sat on.

'_How did I get here?_' Nami thought, her eyes never moving from the one spot.  
'_What was I doing?_'

Mentally, Nami screamed as recollection kicked in. Frozen still in her spot, her mind filled with her fallen captain, how they had failed countless times, and how now they were here. How they had made it, she could not remember.

'_Luffy… Where are you?_'

Slowly rotating her head, she turned to the loud neigh. Her eyes falling upon a giant horse as it protested against its master about going into the sea ahead of them. Nami could see the reason to the horses cry and refusals to budge any inch further, or rather; she could feel the reason herself. With herself still glued to the spot, she could sense each wave bring a new burning sensation as the cold water brushed back and forth against her legs. She wanted so much to move, so much to run away from the pain, but her body just refused, almost encouraging her to give up and fall right back asleep.

"Hey!"

She watched the man again call out to the sea while he tried to calm his horse.

"Get out of there, you'll die!"

'_Who…?_' Nami thought as she slowly turned her head to see.  
'_Who would be that idiotic to go in there? It's suicidal…'_

Nami's heart dropped as she saw the familiar red vest. Standing in freezing water at waist high was none other than her captain, who seemed to only be staring out ahead of him as each wave crashed against his chin.

'_Luffy… You're going to drown…_' Nami tried to speak up.

"Boy!"

Again, Nami turned back to look at the only man who might save him now. She mentally cried out though when she read the bold, blue letters and trademark on his shirt.

'**Marine**.'

"Come back!" He cried again, his horse still crying out as it refused to step any further into the chilly water.

It seemed, though, Luffy was actually refusing this order as he continued to stand in the freezing water; watching the white flakes circle around him.

"L-Luffy…" Nami tried to call, wincing at the pain in her throat.

"Come back!" The man again tried.

Trying to push herself, Nami could barely feel her red hands as they numbed against the snow, and failing to lift herself she again turned to the sea.

"C-Come back…" She managed a little louder, but was still only a hoarse whisper.

"Come back!"

Nami could feel her heart quicken as she saw Luffy begin to trudge once again deeper into the water, the waves now beginning to pass over his head and fill his mouth with water.

'_Where are you going?_' She mentally shouted.  
'_You're going the wrong way! You're going to die…_'

She could slightly feel her own hands gripping at the snow in anger.

'_Don't do this! Not when we're here now, I'll save you Luffy! I said I would!_' Nami thought.  
'_Get back here… I'm not about to give up now. Not just because that man said to…'_

"Come back!"

"COME BACK!!"

Wincing again at the feel in her throat, Nami watched with wide eyes as her voice reached her captain, and just like that, he turned towards her call, marching his way to her as the waves continued to wash at his back. Though, she could only watch him for a second as the Marine trotted his horse to her and she turned to hide herself.

"Hey! What do you two think you were doing? You'll catch your death out here!" He yelled.

Forcing herself up, Nami stumbled slightly before brushing alongside the horse and closer to the shore as Luffy made his way to her.

"Are you natives here?" She heard the man continue behind her.  
"Do you have a place to stay? You might want to take that boy to the doctor. It's not far from here, want me to accompany you?"

Nami only ignored the man behind her as she reached for Luffy as his soaking body walked out from the sea and onto the cold, hard sand. Placing a hand to rest on his cheek, she stared hard into his eyes; her eyes trying to ask silent questions as she stared hard into the lazy, gray ones.

"Why?" She mouthed, sighing as she felt Luffy shiver in her palm while still looking as if he had just come back from a boring experience.  
"Keep your head down…"

Mouthing again, Nami reached for Luffy's hand; marching him away as fast as he could from the Marine.

"Hey!" He called, letting his horse trot next to them.  
"Are you both okay? You were passed out in the snow! You two have a warm place to stay right?"

"W-We do, thank you!" Nami croaked.

Letting his horse fall back, he watched as the two continued hand in hand on their way. Pondering, through the snowstorm, why they would walk themselves straight into the giant forest.

* * *

An hour of walking, five minutes of slogging through cold snow, Nami didn't know. Feeling her eyes fall every few seconds was definitely a distraction from her counting, as well as not knowing whether the white she saw was her blanking out or the pouring snow around them. All she knew was that her hard, red, numb hand shook with Luffy's still intact, but who the culprit was of the shivering or if they were both to blame, she did not know either.

Turning her lazy eyes back and past Luffy, she let out a small sigh. Eyeing the many dead trees and white, somewhat luscious, bushes let her know that she was now deep into whatever forest they had stepped in; away from the suspicious eyes of that Marine.

"I wonder if there are more of them…" Nami pathetically mouthed, much too tired to speak up to Luffy.

Turning her eyes to Luffy, she let her hand slide out of his to once again place on his shivering face. Her heart cringed when she saw the clothes hang heavy from the freezing sea water, but continued her hand up to clutch at his forehead. With the water from his hair trickling down her hand, she furrowed her eyes to the feel of his body.

Him standing, for who knows how long, in freezing water and only to be brought out to the chilling air with snow wrapping around them; there was no doubt in her mind, even before she had placed her hand onto him. He was certainly catching his illness, and the slight heat his head produced into her hand had confirmed his fever. His breathing was becoming heavy as well as he let his dead eyes stare down to her, and the look of his red, swollen, numb face was not comforting in the least.

What was she to do now?

With civilization nowhere in sight and nothing on them but the cold clothes on their shivering backs, Nami could feel her heart being broken down. How more of this could she take? Seeing her captain turn into a man that she hardly seemed to know and not understand, her nakama simply ignoring the issue, another captain who brought her hopes to reach the high heavens instead pulled them down to a cruel, burning hell and now this… Luffy becoming ill, while he shivered and shook on the spot, staring into her eyes like a puppy begging to be rescued, and yet at the same time showing no feeling, which made him look even more pathetic and helpless. How more could she truly take?

She no longer carried the money that would help him now. She couldn't buy him a warm bed tonight, she couldn't produce the food that would feed both their crying, empty stomachs and she didn't have even a single penny that might help to bring him to a doctor or medicine. So now, all Nami could do was stare into her captain's gray eyes, wondering if he would make it through the snowy, cold night.

If she would even make it.

Could she honestly just stand here and watch Luffy die? With that thought, she could feel a warm tear make its way down her cheek. Only that single one, nothing else would come, she was far too weak to cry.

"Why?" She finally spoke, still staring up as Luffy stared down.  
"What were you doing in the ocean?"

She could feel her voice rattle from lack of water, though she knew her words still got to him. She continued to watch his red, shivering face, even when he failed to answer her question. The two only locked eyes, Nami almost feeling as though she was giving Luffy the same expression he was giving her.

Nothing.

It was impossible to see a reflection in his dim eyes, but somehow Nami felt as though she was sending the same expressionless eyes as he was to her.

"Is it wrong…?" He finally croaked.

Nami only blinked to his question. Was it wrong to go into the ocean? Of course it was, especially for him. Did he honestly no longer understand that the sea itself was his grave? Could he no longer feel the cold that would ultimately take away all his glory and drown him with no mercy to his famous name?

Again Nami remained silent. Too tired, not caring that she would not give an answer. She only watched his eyes stare into hers, slightly surprised to see him change the subject.

"Is it wrong…?" He again repeated.  
"That Nami cries all the time…?"

A question like that, Nami had no idea where he had picked it up and again she remained silent. Feeling a few more tears fall as she realized how lost he truly was. Didn't he know already? Shouldn't he know? It was never right to cry, especially when someone was with him, Monkey D. Luffy. These tears she had shed, the countless times she had wailed by his side, of course they were all wrong. Her sniffling was quickly brought to a halt as he shoved his hand towards her face and spoke.

"Nami, look. Isn't it pretty?"

Sighing, she let her eyes fall onto the object on his finger, seeing the 'mood' gems darken to the cold. Luffy repeated his question; Nami continued to stare into the small object, pondering lightly at its true value.

'_Perhaps,_' she thought with a flicker of hope, '_we can sell the small silver for money…_'

With that thought, Nami quickly tossed her eyes back to Luffy, widening them as she planned accordingly. With his eyes pulling back to hers he again asked.

"Nami, Look. Isn't it pretty?"

Nami simply ignored his words, and feeling the light shiver she realized the risk she would be taking for them to survive tonight. She would have to, there was no other way. It could take her hours to find the town and a cheap room for them and even more hours to find someone willing to pay for the small ring, the clouds above were also getting darker over time. Too many hours together that would ultimately be their down-fall; she knew they were both too tired and weak to last the coming night. They had to separate, something Nami lightly fretted.

"Luffy…" She spoke calm and slow for him.

Making sure his mouth was now shut and his eyes focused on her first, she continued on.

"Do you think you can run an errand…alone?"

With him not responding, Nami quickly remembered the words Captain Joji had told her.

'_He takes orders…_' She sighed at the thought of him coming from the ocean to her call.  
'_But then he didn't come to that Marine's call… It can't be helped._' Nami finally told herself.  
'_I'm sure he can do it..._'

"Luffy." Nami spoke again, taking his hand into hers.  
"We're going to go into town together, alright?"

Her heart lifted lightly as she watched him nod, glad to know that he was listening.

"When we get there, I'm going to go look for a room."

Looking down to his ring, she felt his eyes follow hers. She fumbled with his hand lightly, eying the ring and debating whether it truly was the right thing to do.

"Y-You." She stammered at first.  
"I need you to find a jeweler…any shops…and sell this ring."

She looked again into his eyes, trying hard to figure whether he understood the task or not.

"Listen," she spoke again, "sell this ring for money. It doesn't matter how much, just sell it… Can you do that by yourself?"

She watched as his eyes looked up to peer behind her, the snow now falling down harder on to them. The night's air now dropping, she didn't care to receive an answer. Once again, trudging through the snow and pricking bushes, Nami silently felt the boy follow behind her. Hoping, praying that the town was somehow in this direction.

* * *

Sighing, Nami placed her heard head onto the depressing sign in front of her. Her hair brushing the '**Closed for the night**' words as the colds winds blew against her back.

"Shit…" She spoke.  
"There's not a damn thing open… What do we do?"

Closing her eyes as her head continued to rest against the wood, Nami hummed in thought.

"The doctors office was still open….but I doubt Luffy was able to sell that ring." She sighed again.  
"Would we even have enough money to get him a bed there?"

Again she sighed at defeat. Resting her eyes and head still on the door, she listened to the roaring winds; her face and body numbing as night grew darker and colder.

"Oi Nami! What island are we going to next?! Shishishi!"

Holding her eyes tighter together, Nami tried to drown out the happy, cheerful words. It had been awhile since she had heard it; she had hoped they had disappeared.

"Shut up…" She whispered to the air.  
"You're not real… Luffy isn't even here…"

Despite her words she could still hear the laughter until it was blown away from the harsh winds and a light whistle. Picking her head up, Nami turned to the whistle, furrowing her eyes as they met with strangers. Standing in the entrance of the ally was, no doubt in her mind, a group of young thugs and as she locked eyes with one of them, she noticed how unwelcoming their eyes were.

Why had they whistled for her if they were just going to send her a hateful glare? Not wanting to invite any unwanted acquaintances and feeling the torment of another defeat, Nami slowly made her way back to where Luffy was sure to be. At least he had maybe somehow managed to the sell the ring like she had asked, and earned a little cash.

'_Maybe there's still a restaurant open…_' Nami thought against the obvious.

Smiling lightly, she anticipated the thought. A nice warm room with a bowl of hot soup placed below her.

"That would be nice…"

Grinning, she let the thought warm her mind to disguise out her shivering. With the snow slamming itself into her face, Nami continued on to their meeting place. Letting her eyes greet the dense forest once again. She felt a light panic when she didn't notice Luffy's bright, red material but quickly shoved the idea aside. It was dark, the snow was covering most of her vision, and surely he was behind the trees.

Standing in the opening of the forest though, her eyes widened.

"Luffy…?" She mouthed.

Turning her eyes back to the small town, true fright settled into her stomach. Nowhere in sight was her captain, though she had given direct orders, it seemed he had disobeyed this time. Normally she would give him benefit of the doubt; perhaps he was still trying to sell his ring. The fact that she had seen almost every store closed and the streets empty had her worried for him.

Turning back to face forest, the snow and path below her caught her attention.

'_Did he really go back in there?_'

She knew the snow prints below her were new, the snow above them fell faster by the passing minute and the obvious path below was already being hidden by the fresh snow.

"What is he thinking?" Nami softly spoke, moving quickly back into the forest.

She knew there was no reason for her to be fretting as her legs picked up faster, it was just something unusual. Why would he be disobeying now? Why was it now his blank conscious was beginning to shine through? She didn't know, and it worried her slightly. Running deeper into the trees and away from the town, the adrenaline encouraged her on, only slowing through the many bushes and branches when the familiar red began to show in her eyes.

Sitting against one of the trees sat her captain, the ring still intact to his index finger. He sat staring down into the snow, keeping his hands cupped tightly together.

"Luffy!" Nami lightly cried, sliding quickly to her knees and placing her hands firmly on both of his shoulders.  
"Why'd you come back? Why didn't you wait for me like I told you so?"

She let her shoulders fall lightly as she took in the paleness of his face. As white as a ghost he sat there, staring out without an answer, he was the perfect picture of a true haunt. She sighed at everything around her, her sick captain sitting in freezing snow, herself not knowing what to do. Were they really doomed to spend the night together in the middle of a storm?

Feeling Luffy begin to shake harder, she let her hands fall from his cold, pale body; the color of his face camouflaging almost perfectly with the snow around them.

"Luffy…" Nami bit her lip as she felt the heat in her eyes again.  
"I'm so sorry…" She whimpered, feeling her lips begin to quiver as the tears flowed freely.

Lowering her head to hide her tears, she moved her hand to meet up with Luffy's cupped ones, placing her palm on top of them.

"I'm sorry Luffy…" She spoke again.

She closed her eyes at the thought. How would Luffy ever forgive her for all this? Maybe Zoro really had been right after all. How would her nakama forgive her? What she wouldn't give to have both her and Luffy back with them and on Sunny.

She had made a huge mistake, she had realized this the minute Joji had spat out his hideous laugh.

"I'm sorry."

Gripping tighter onto his hands, she brought her other palm up to hold back her coughing and hiccups, the warm tears waterfalling down her hand. She blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to bat away the water when she felt Luffy's hands move unusually. Staring into his cupped palms, Nami noted how harder the shakes were coming off of him as well as how chilly they felt. She knew the cold was doing its part on both of their bodies, but his temperature was dropping quickly.

Eyeing his hands still, Nami spotted the ring again, not surprised that it neither changed in color or sold. Staring still into it, her eyes contorted at Luffy's cupping hands. With them still shaking, she noticed their awkward grip.

"Luffy…" She quietly spoke, now bringing both her hands down to his.  
"What are you holding onto?"

Watching his hands still, she let her hands fall to the sides as Luffy opened his to let them fall on top of hers; a small brown bottle rolling lightly against his flat palms.

"What is this?" She asked, reaching for it.

Remaining silent, he turned his head down to watch her pluck slowly at the little bottle.

"Luffy, what is this?" Nami silently asked.

Rolling the delicate small bottle between her fingers, her red, moist eyes widened when she read the bold letters.

"Arsenic?" She mouthed.

Her jaw falling when she saw the little skull and crossbones under the black letters; no matter whether someone was pirate, civilian or Marine, that little skull held the same heart-wrenching conclusion.

"Luffy!" Nami cried.

Reaching for his shoulders, she let the bottle plop silently to the snow below them.

"Who gave that to you? Where did you get it?" She spoke, shaking his limp body to force him to look at her.  
"Don't you know that, that's….poison…?"

Nami silently gasped as she watched Luffy's gray eyes turn to her wide ones. Never before did she think they could look any farther away and lost, but his eyes now looked the worst. They were pitch black, never stirring or moving away from hers, and the way they were now sunken into his pale, ghostly face was unsettling. Traveling from his baggy, black eyes, she gasped lightly when she saw him biting at his lip; he looked as though he had just rolled out his tongue like a sloppy dog. Drool was covering from his lip to his chin, dripping occasionally to his lap.

Watching his cold body shake, and his head move violently as he began to retch, Nami quickly dove for the small bottle again.

"Please…" She begged for the both of them while popping the top off of the small bottle.  
"…Please…"

Feeling the tears again form and with her heart racing, she slowly tipped the small bottle over, almost pulling back and not wanting to know the answer. She continued on though, until the bottle was facing the ground, and with that she could feel the world around her smashing.

Not a drop of poison escaped from the container.

Like the little, empty bottle that now fell from her shaking hands, so too did her heart fall along with it. Turning back to Luffy's retching noises, Nami could feel herself choking as the water works began again.

"Luffy!" She cried once more, using her hands to bring up his limp head to hers.

Staring hard into his black eyes as she held onto his cold, shaking cheeks delicately; she could only watch him continue to retch and drool for a second before embracing him and stroking his hair. With the tears pouring out heavier than ever, she continued to rock the boy.

"Oh God, Why?!" She cried, wailing after she had done so.  
"Why did you drink that?! Who told you to, Luffy?!"

Screaming after her sentence, she again pulled back and forced his eyes onto hers. Shaking him lightly, she again asked.

"Why?! Why did you drink that?! It's poison! Oh God, don't you know that you'll….?!"

She couldn't bring herself to say it. She only continued to quiver as she watched his face, unsure if he was truly hearing her words or not and instead dove for his chest to embrace him. Crying into his red vest, she wailed as her hands clutched at his fabric, gripping and tugging on the shirt as her head rolled in his chest and her cries filled the air.

"Why?" She cried into his vest.  
"Why? Luffy?!"

She gasped lightly when she felt his hands shoot and wrap tightly around her wrists. Stopping her tears momentarily, she pulled back to again look into his eyes. The two locking looks as the snowy winds swam around them for some time.

"It's wrong…" Luffy spoke, spilling out more drool down his chin.

"W-What?"

Nami only shook her head as the tears tried to break through her barrier.

"I know it's wrong."

Nami again continued to shake her head.

"Of course it's wrong!" She screamed.  
"Why did you do this if you knew it was wrong?! Why?!"

She sunk her head as she felt the tears break through, her wrists still being held up as Luffy looked on at her apathetically.

"I know its wrong Nami cries all the time." He finally spoke again.

Stopping once again to raise her head, Nami gaped at Luffy's words.

"Nami's suppose to be happy, just like when we were on Sunny, I remember… But instead I keep making her cry… Just like Arlong did… I promised that Ossan I wouldn't hurt your feelings…I broke that promise… It's all wrong…"

Staring hard into her eyes, Nami gasped as she realized what he was saying.

"Isn't this right?" He quietly asked, throwing his eyes above her.  
"Now Nami won't cry anymore… I won't-"

"IDIOT!"

Watching a small amount of blood now travel down along with his drool, she pulled her hands from him and again threw herself on him; wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as she cried and rubbed her head against it in desperation.

"Don't you know?!" She hiccupped.  
"Now I'm going to cry even more!"

Pulling him tighter, she felt his body grow heavier and limper in her arms.

"You're such an idiot… Why?! Why does this have to happen to me?! To you?!" She cried.  
"Why you, Luffy?! You don't deserve this…why did he do this to you…?

Feeling his head fall to her shoulder, Nami continued to cradle the boy, uncertain now at his future.

"I don't believe this! I refuse to! Luffy!" She cried.  
"Not when we've come this far! I told you I would help you, why…? I told you I would help you become the Pirate King! Why did you do this?!"

Holding onto him, she could still feel him falling deeper and deeper away. The both of them, falling because of what one man had done to him, falling into a dark hole with no light at the end. Had she really failed now? She couldn't believe at what he had done, at what she had done. This was all her fault, no doubt. He had done this because of her.

"I'm sorry!" She wailed.  
"Please, Luffy…don't die…!"

She continued to cry when she felt his head roll against her neck, his voice speaking in a blank once again.

"Nami, Look…I-Isn't it pretty?"

* * *

**A/N: I just wanted to say, sorry about this chapter seeming a bit plotless, I had no ideas to put in between the middle..and I need to write two other chapters for my other stories so it might be awhile again before I update. I'm sorry about that; I really do take my time to update. xD; Also, I posted this fic at the Adult Fanfiction site, so if you prefer reading this story there, just wanted to throw that out.**


	7. Chapter 7

Nami now could only stand and stare at the yellow door. The thought of her captain past that entry with the only man capable of saving his life now plagued her mind. She no longer cared that she had no money ready for the payment, she didn't care that she had come barging into the doctor's office in the middle of the night and she didn't care that she was shivering still in her wet, freezing clothes. It was all now about Luffy, the boy who was completely lost.

Breathing heavily, Nami never let her eyes move in inch from that door as she listened to silence and the ticking off the clock; it' ticks reminding her that each second could be Luffy's last

'_No… don't think like that..._'

The thought of the doctor coming back out with look of overwhelming defeat made her foot take one step closer, but she quickly brought it back when she felt the nurse's eyes in the desk in front of her watch her. She had barged into the room enough times for their liking and she was sure that nurse had been given strict orders to keep her held back.

So with only that, Nami could only stand and watch the yellow door, shaking at the thought of Luffy.

'_This is all my fault… If Luffy dies, I…_'

Nami only blinked again at the door, letting her mind blank for her own sake.

"So…" the nurse slowly spoke, narrowing her eyes at Nami.  
"Where exactly do you two come from? Your faces aren't familiar in this town."

Nami only gaped at those words, never turning to the nurse; her mind was too preoccupied to listen to anyone's call. Trying again, the nurse spoke.

"How exactly did he get arsenic in his possession?"

Watching Nami, the nurse rolled her lips back when she noticed her words being ignored again as the orange-hair's fascination stuck to the door.

"…Luffy." She mouthed.

And with that the nurse turned back to her work, a bit peeved that she had been brushed off. Sighing, Nami let her mind flood with thoughts of death now. How would she manage herself if Luffy really did die? The others, what would they say when she told them? Would she even be able to tell them? How in the world could she even go back to them and tell them that _she _had killed their captain?

The boy who had their dreams sailing along with his, the captain who would risk his life just for theirs, how could she tell them that Luffy, who everyone loved and looked up to, was dead?

'_No._' She thought.  
'_It's not an option here… He can't, I won't let him. Luffy won't die!_'

Holding her breath, she watched as the knob slowly turned. Her eyes widening when she saw the short, pudgy doctor walk with a low head and turning to close the door behind him. Trying to speak up, Nami instead heard a small croak escape as she tried to hold back her words. Wanting so much to know of Luffy's state but also fearing horrific news.

So, instead she watched with hold hand and a fretting heart as the doctor slowly made his way to the nurse instead. Whispering a few words to, she narrowed her eyes again at Nami. Something that made the young girl again panic, but without words the nurse stood herself and marched into the room Luffy was surely in and shutting the door behind her, Nami was now left with the doctor.

Nami again stood in silence as her teary eyes stayed glued to the pudgy man, his eyes still at the floor as he shuffled his feet onto the ground; growling as he tried hard to clear his throat. And with wide eyes, Nami straightened herself when the doctor's eyes fell to her finally. Swaggering his legs across the room and closer to her, he narrowed his eyes and stood himself tall before speaking again.

"There's no doubt about it." He spoke low and rough, his mustache swinging as he spoke.  
"The boy is poisoned. Arsenic as you said."

Nodding, Nami waited for him to continue on, waiting to hear what procedures he had taken to save her dear friend. But her face quickly fell as he glared at her for minutes in silence.

"And…?" Nami softly spoke, encouraging him to continue on.  
"You saved him…r-right?"

"Saved him?" The doctor widened his eyes in disbelief.  
"I say young lady, you neither carry the purse or pockets to make me believe you have the money to save him."

Broadening her eyes and gasping to the words, Nami quickly covered her mouth and the tears began again forming. Was no one going to help her in this crucial time? Help Luffy? Was it true this doctor was money hungry enough to ignore a dying man?

"You're just going to let him lay in there and die…?" Nami muffled through her hands.  
"How could you?"

Through her cloudy vision she could see the man unmoved to her words.

"I thought doctors saved lives not associate with death itself." She tried to argue.  
"You're a monster…"

With a noise catching her attention now, Nami watched as Luffy's limp body was dragged out by the nurse. His skin paler than a ghost itself and his body moving like a rag doll, Nami quickly ran to embrace Luffy, helping him to his feet as the nurse slowly backed away.

"Luffy…" Nami tried to speak through her tears, stroking his hair before turning to the doctor again.  
"What are you doing?" Her voice was becoming angrier.  
"You can't move him around with him like this! He'll…!"

Nami swallowed her last word, unable to bring her shaking body to say it.

"He _is _going to die." The doctor spoke.  
"And we're not moving him…you are! Both of you."

Tearing her eyes away from Luffy, she glared at the doctor; baring her teeth at him.

"What do you mean by that?" She spat, with wet eyes still.

"Unless you're wanting Marines to accompany you, you pirates will leave now."

Nami gasped again at the words, wanting nothing more now than to see her hands strangling his thick neck. He knew who they were and seeing his eyes lowered at them, Nami again could feel her heart race, what was she to do?

"Luffy…" Nami softly spoke, bringing her lips to brush against his hair and whisper into his ear.  
"Can you hear me? We need to leave… I need you to move with me."

Shaking, while pulling his arm around her neck, Nami felt her choking at her words as her tears poured; though her anger and determination moved her on.

"I-I need you to walk with me… I'm going to take you somewhere warm. You'll be better in no time…"

Nami let out a whimper as she listened to her own lie, hoping to whoever decided their fates that Luffy did not believe one word of her promise. Taking a step forward, she let her head hang low along with Luffy's as she felt him step to her steps.

"Nami…" An unnerving voice whispered.  
"…It hurts…"

'_Don't say that!_' Nami cried her mind, continuing to move him despite his words.  
'_Please don't tell me that…!_'

Shaking her head, she knew her heart had just taken another wound, another hate and another reason for living lost. With tears pouring to the ground, Nami and Luffy slowly made their way past the glaring doctor and nurse and once again into the heavy, freezing storm.

Lifting her head slowly up after moving away from the doctors, Nami could barely make out which direction the forest was in. The snow was coming down hard and fast, and as she stood still she could feel Luffy shivering to a great extent; her heart again falling as she listened to his voice.

"…It hurts…"

"Hold on, Luffy." Nami tried to encourage.  
"I'll take you somewhere warm."

Taking one step forward, Nami cried out as she felt herself being roughly torn away from Luffy. With her back slamming hard against a chest, she felt her arms held back as another arm wrapped around them and trying to cry out, she instead found her cries muffled as another hand gripped her mouth tightly. So instead, she kicked and cried into the hand, feeling her tears pour out as she was held back against her will.

"See!" The voice that held her spoke.  
"Told ya' they weren't in that forest still."

Opening her eyes, Nami watched as the familiar strangers from earlier circled around her fallen captain. His head buried firmly against the snow as he made no attempt to move. She now knew why these men had whistled to her earlier that day, why they had glared at her like that. And kicking her feet still high into the air with stifled cries, she tried desperately to stop the other two men that continued to walk around Luffy as they clutched their metal bars tightly in each hand.

"Mugiwara No Luffy and his navigator." The man behind her spoke.  
"We're rich, guys…"

Licking his lips, his eyes shined as they stared down still at the already defeated captain.

"I thought they said he was strong…" One of the others spoke, jabbing his metal bar hard into Luffy's side.  
"He's just laying here."

"Well…" The other drawled, and Nami watched horrified as he brought his bar high into the air.  
"Better not take any chances."

Turning and shutting her eyes to the side, she continued with her silent crying as she listened to the gruesome sound of metal coming into contact with bone. She cringed to that sound of Luffy's light call of discomfort. Why was this all happening to him? Screaming in her mind, she continued to listen to the blows as they took turns one by one, the two men laughing as bone breaking hums filled the air along with clings of metal in contact with a hard body.

'_Luffy!_' Nami cried.  
'_Save yourself…do something!_'

She shook to the thought of his weak body being broken at every second. Where had his strength gone? Luffy's determination? Where had his dreams and skill disappeared to? She knew it had all been taken by the hands of Captain Calibri, along with his emotions. She continued to cry as the thought of death not being near enough deservance for Calibri and for what he had done to Luffy. To her Luffy. Why couldn't it of been anyone else? And listening to every blow, she could feel her own body taking a blow itself. Though she continued to cry, with Luffy's weak body being beat in front of her and no power to stop them. Was his death truly in the hands of these men who would make a name for themselves by taking out the strongest man she knew?

Listening to a shot ring out into the cold air, Nami quickly turned her head to the source. Her eyes widening as she watched the doctor from before aim his pistol at the frozen men, their hands stilled as they held the bars high above them. All heads turned as the doctor again clicked his pistol.

"Leave them alone…" He spoke.  
"This town is too good to have any wreck-less blood-shed like that."

"Get lost old man!" One of them cried.

Again another shot rang out, and this time Nami felt herself being released as the man behind her withdrew.

"He's crazy!" The man called.  
"Let's go you guys, we can come back later. They won't be going far."

With the men now slowly retreating, Nami raced her way to Luffy. Quickly falling to her knees into the snow, and reaching out for her captain, she almost pulled back at the sight of his blood.

"Luffy… Oh please be alive."

Building up the courage she reached for his shoulders, slowly rolling his face onto her lap and screaming out at the sight.

"…Don't hit me anymore…please…" Luffy's voice rattled, confirming to Nami that he was still alive.  
"…Why do you keep hitting me…?...It hurts…"

Shaking her head, Nami quickly cupped his blood stained cheek.

"No-no-no-no." She tried to call to his lidded eyes.  
"It's me Nami… I'm not going to hit you…oh please…"

With tears pouring out, Nami could only stare into Luffy's clouded, half open eyes. His breathing now coming out hard and long, she could only shake as she took in his figure.

"Why did they do this to you?" She sobbed.  
"You don't deserve this."

Tearing her eyes away from him, Nami watched as the blood continued down from his head and to his chin. She was sure the first hit those men had sent him was a violent blow to his head. Watching still his breathing spasm and his blood-stained face, she cupped her hand harder into his cheek; her mind now engraved with the image of him and his shattered skull.

"..Nami…" He breathed.  
"…It hurts…"

With her lips curling tightly back, Nami threw her head to the doctor; her red eyes pleading with him as they locked looks.

"Please." She shook.  
"Save him."

She continued to shake her head when she saw him raise his pistol to her.

"Get out of this town…" He growled.  
"I won't let scum like you be here."

Shaking her head in disbelief, she could not find the strength in her voice. So instead she reached for Luffy, and with no protest, he stood himself to her pulls. Reaching back down, Nami raised his straw-hat to her head. Not wanting him to stain it with blood and the two once again walking their way as both blood and tears stained the snow behind them. She now only kept her eyes focused at the forest in front of her, shaking when she listened to Luffy spit up more drool and blood from the poison.

"its okay, Luffy." Nami spoke.  
"I'm going to take you somewhere warm…"

"…I don't care…"

Hearing those words, Nami let out another small cry of despair, his words were not helping either of their states and feeling her legs tremble to the weight and events, she slowly lowered the boy to the ground. Surprised lightly at how far she was able to hide the both of them inside the maze-like forest. Like a new born she slowly and carefully sunk his head to soft but cold snow below them.

'_I'm sorry…_' She spoke in her mind.  
'_I lied to you…_'

Letting her knees sink to the floor, she let them be her support as she rested her hands on top of her knees. Staring now into Luffy's blood-stained face, she again eyed his broken skull as he continued to spit up blood and drool. Only now could she truly take in his lidded dark eyes and as he continued to focus them only at the trees above him, Nami could feel her own eyes lowering to the ground with her tears.

Taking in hi state now with no more interruptions, Nami seethed as realization delivered another dark and cruel realization.

'_Luffy…_' She cried in her mind.  
'_He's going to die._'

Shaking her head, she tried desperately to argue with her mind. Trying to tell herself that there was still hope, that maybe he would pull through, believing the impossible like Luffy had taught her. But as she brought her head up to look at her sick captain, that small hope would keep crashing back down and turning her head away she could longer take in his weak body. His dazed look and labored breathing tell her that he was at his limit. That he had finally been beaten.

That he was about to die.

"Ne, Luffy?" Nami shook, snaking her hand through the snow she quickly wrapped her fingers around the shaking boys hands.

Something he couldn't protest to if he wished. Keeping her head still down and fight against her tears she spoke again.

"…D-Do you remember when we first met?"

She knew it would be cruel of her to force him to answer, she knew her heart would not be able to bear him. So instead, she lowered her head to his chest, holding hard still to his hand. Sniffling lightly as she listened to snow's winds and the light barks of rogue dogs in the forest.

"N-Nami." His voice was slow, breathy and quiet.  
"Look. I-I-Isn't it-.

"Hush Luffy, No." She let her tears run to his vest.  
"I don't want to hear that anymore."

Listening to his breaths still on his heaving chest, Nami's eyes widened to the chilly sound of a certain breath as his chest held itself. Pulling from his chest, she gaped lightly at his shut eyes.

"Luffy…?" She whispered.

Watching his body respond none, Nami grew frantic as she pushed herself higher up, once again barks of dogs filled the air.

"Luffy?" She questioned again, the hot tears coming slowly out.

She backed slowly away in fear, shaking her head as she watched the cold, still body.

"Luffy…?" She whined.

Shaking her head, she slowly raised an arm at him, shaking him lightly by the shoulder. She gasped when she saw him move from her moves, again motionless when she pulled back. Raising her hand, she aimed for his lips, hoping and praying that she would feel at least a little heat from his breathing. But she pulled back quickly, unsure if she truly wanted the cold hard truth; though it lay perfectly still in front of her.

'_Is-Is he…?_'

Crying out, she realized just what she was staring at and straightening her back, she shook her widened eyes as realization hit in, and let out deafening scream.

"No!" She cried at Luffy, never reaching for him she instead cried.  
"You're not supposed to die! Not here, not now!"

Opening her eyes, she saw the same face he had for the past minutes now. The face of death.

"You were supposed to become the Pirate King!"

Biting her lip and quivering, Nami continued to stare at her fallen captain. Not caring that the barks were becoming louder.

"T-This is all my fault…" She whispered.  
"I killed him… I killed Luffy."

"I think I heard a scream this way!"

Biting her lip harder, she now realized that they were not alone in the forest. Hearing the barks grow louder, she quickly stood herself, not wanting those men from before to find Luffy's body, she quickly turned to dash clutching hard onto his hat still. Also trying to run away from fear and truth itself, though she knew it would always be with her.

'_I killed him…_' Nami staggered against the snow, the tears pouring out still.  
'_I did this…_'

Leaving her captain behind, no candles would be lit for his honor. There would be no weeping or mourning for his death from anyone besides Nami. He would have no grave, he wouldn't even be buried. That cold, cruel snow and ground was his resting piece and in her mind, Nami cried as she realized that it was all her fault; his glory stolen by her alone.

She skidded to a halt when she felt a light shine into her face, and then another. As she spun on her heels she was blinded by lights in all directions, barks hiding away her cries as she continued screaming.

"I did this!" She cried at the lights, almost ignoring the presence of the men in white as they surrounded her.  
"It's my fault!"

"Dorobo Neko no Nami of the Mugiwara crew!" A voice called again along with barks, and the clicks of rifles filled the snowy air.  
"Don't move! You're under arrest!"

"I did it!" Nami cried again as the tears flew out, tugging hard onto Luffy's hat still on her head.

The Marines slowly making their way to her as the dogs went wild with their cries.

"I killed him!!"

Lowering herself, Nami could feel herself choking from her exaggerated crying, both the lights and tears blinding her as she grew deaf to the confusion and noise. Like the fortune teller had spoken to her before, she could feel herself falling with no way to stop herself.

"Luffy!!"

* * *

**A/N: Yea after the few reviews I know what retarded mistake I did. Don't point it out anymore, just go with it. I'm retarded and I'm not going to change it. Usually I don't answer reviews, but-**

**To holderheck - Arsenic doesn't "break down" organs - it inhibits certain metabolic enzymes and iirc disrupts ATP synthesis. We know that Luffy is alive and metabolizes food (a lot of food!), which means that it should be a problem for him if arsenic interferes with his metabolism. So, in my opinion, arsenic can kill him. If he truly had rubber organs, then he wouldn't be alive in the first place because rubber organs cannot function. I picture his insides not being rubber, but more, rubber-like? Honestly though, if he didn't chow down food, I would probably agree with you.**

**Also I just wanted to say, to all of you who review. Thank you so much! Even if I never reply to them, I really do appreciate them and they really do motivate me to work hard on the chapters. This story is for all you who review! Thank you so much. And to everyone who does read and doesn't review…This story is not for you. ;P**


	8. Chapter 8

'_Killed him….I killed him…_'

"Hurry up, you!"

Feeling the hard tug at her tied arms, Nami slowly raised her eyes to meet the open, snowy field. Only feet away from the forest now, her eyes wandered as they met with the many neighing horses. Marines' sitting on top of them as dogs barked, growled, and tugged against their leashes; the beasts wanting nothing more than to race into the forest and help in their part with the search going on.

It was with that Nami slowly turned her tear-stained eyes behind her. Hoping, praying that their search now would turn out to be an utter fail. Wincing as she saw the lights linger out from the forest and dogs howling along with the commotion.

'_Don't let them take his body…_' She whined in her mind.

"Keep moving!"

She tripped lightly when she felt the Marine next to her whip the back of his rifle across her head. She could quickly feel herself blacking out for an instant to the impact but returning just as quick at the hard pull of her body. She knew that would be the last time she would lay eyes upon her captain's grave. Lowering her head, she continued to cry in her mind.

There was already enough guilt in her heart and head, and the idea of these men abusing her captain's body to their extent had her almost puking in fault. What would they do with him when they found him? That question itself had already ringed in her mind. Would they go to their own extreme as to making sure the pirate was dead? Maybe sinking a knife into him so as to make sure the job already done by Nami was for certain? Would they take him and perhaps bury him? Or would they burn him to ashes? Or would they just leave him be?

With those ideas coming into play, Nami felt herself falling once more. Hard into the cold snow, she lowered head with tears as the men again reached for her.

"Killed him…" She mumbled while shaking.  
"I killed him."

"Up!" One of the men growled.  
"Get up you filthy pig!"

With another whack from behind, Nami felt the impact tossing her head straight for the snow; the hard, ice below her, scraping her chin and any other free skin until it burned raw. Tears staining her face as they raced from her eyes to ground, unsure at whether the hits she was taking now or the mental pain of her captain's death were the reasons of her tears pouring uncontrollably out now.

"Luffy…!" She again cried out, squirming in the snow as saliva sputtered out.

"Get up! Or I'll-!"

'_I deserve this… All of this…_'

Feeling a rough jab in her hair, and hearing the click of the rifle, Nami stiffened herself. Preparing now for her own death.

'_I killed him…_'

With a shot ringing into the air, Nami's tears slowly ended. Wondering lightly why death, the thing no man could escape and somewhat feared, felt such less painful than she had imagined.

'_Luffy._' She spoke in her mind.  
'_Is this how it feels? To die? ... I'm sorry…_'

Nami gasped lightly when she again felt her arms being roughly pulled up, her wet eyes now widening as she listened to the men behind her.

"Oi, oi! Don't shoot up into the sky like that. Those bullets fall back down you know…"

It was with those words Nami again squinted her eyes as hot tears began to form. Why was it she escaped death against her will so easily, while her captain, who was the last person in her mind to ever deserve to die, was slowly tortured until his glory was stolen away?

"Kill me… I don't deserve to live… please…" Nami mumbled as she hung her head low, speaking out more to the gods than to the Marines behind her.  
"I want to be with Luffy… He's all alone now…"

Nami chattered her teeth as she threw her cries high into the air, trying to hold back her tears before screaming out and causing the dogs and horses to go wild along with her cries.

"LUFFY!!"

"Come on now." The man that had a hold of her quickly spoke.  
"Don't scream like that."

Being literally dragged along now, Nami relentlessly raised her head again. Her water works still going as she squinted her eyes through the heavy blizzard. The wind gusting and picking snow up to her face to burn her with its pain as her eyes widened lightly to a new site. Still out in the field with the many horses, dogs, and Marines, Nami now watched as new men and woman appeared in her eyes.

There were about eight separate lines with these people, each with about a row of five in Nami's eyes. Each one of those five persons chained with locks to the person behind them and in front of them. Tight metal locks around their necks like collars as a small chain from each collar hooked with the collars of the men and or woman behind and in front of them. Along with the thick, metal collars, each person had each of their wrists overlapping as another form of restraint held them tightly together. With cuffs and collars on each one of these people, they each stood shivering in the cold; most holding their heads low while others surprisingly held their heads high, though their faces and eyes looked dead. Another site that made Nami choke and cough with tears.

Some looked famished to where muscle was now only replaced with bone, while others showed signs of physical damage by lifting their legs or shuffling in place. Heavy bruises from beatings on everyone, dirty clothes on almost all; everyone here, Nami could distinguish, did not have the proper garments to survive long in the blizzards' icy storm. Nami's attention was quickly drawn to one line as she saw an older man fall in his place, the man behind him and the woman in front of him choking as their collars and chains too were pulled down along with; the whole line of five scrambling on their feet as they tried to pull their own weight back up along with the now fallen man.

Nami again blinked as she watched one Marine trot his horse over to the small commotion. Jumping off his beast to inspect the fallen man as he dug his foot deeply into his side; she could see orders being spoken to him, though the passed out man did not move. It was with this Nami's eyes widened as she saw the Marine reach back for his horse and pull out his rifle, quickly snapping her head away as she saw the weapon being hiked lightly up and aiming to the fallen man and cringed as she again heard the familiar bang. She dared not turn back to see the horrible deed done; she dared not look again and witness another gruesome death in her life.

"Keep going, it looks like we found you a place now." She heard the Marine next to her speak.

With a light gasp, Nami again whisked her head to the now fallen and dead man. His body being dragged along by other Marines as blood stained the snow below the fallen collar; she knew now his place would be replaced with her, she knew now who these men and woman were and she again felt the tears pouring out as she realized that this was all she would ever deserve for the rest of her days.

"…Luffy…" She again whimpered, seeing the broken line once again standing themselves as if the death to them was as traumatizing as watching a butterfly fly by.

Turning her head again to the sky above, she seethed and shut her eyes as she felt many Marines race to put her quickly in place. She didn't pull back when she felt her wrists being twisted and a bind tying them tightly together as they quickly began to pulse to the sudden blood loss. She only cried out tears for her captain as two men reached to lift the collar and snap it tight to Nami's delicate neck. Its cold steel burning her skin lightly as her shoulders and body slumped greatly to the heavy weight put on her. Listening, its chains rattled against the chilly wind while the Marines quickly marched away to leave the silent line and crying girl out in the cold.

'_Luffy… I'm so sorry…!_' She cried in her mind, feeling her knee's begin to shake and lower to her collar and weight.  
'_I'm the one who deserves this… I deserve worse. I deserve to die!_'

Sniffling, Nami quickly recalled how quick and easy that one man's life, which stood in her spot only minutes ago, had been taken.

'_If I just lay down…_' She quickly told herself, slowly lowering to one knee.

"Don't do it…!"

Straightening herself back up, Nami blinked her tears away at her sudden reaction to the words behind her.

"Not yet. Don't give up here." The whisper continued behind her, though her neck and binds would not allow her a gaze back.  
"We're almost there, just a few more miles. Don't falter now, run with us."

Nami again only blinked in confusion to those words. Watching the girl's hair in front of her pick up slightly against the snowy winds as Nami continued to gape and ponder at the whispers behind her.

"Run with me…!"

"Shhh…"

Nami listened as another voice farther behind her hissed lightly.

"Hush now, they're coming back. Orange hair, it looks like the commodore is coming for you…"

As quick as Nami could comprehend those words, she felt a hard tug against her shoulder; her now heavy body being forced to turn lightly as the head of this Marine team jerked her towards his growling scowl.

"Where is he?!" The commodore quickly spat as their eyes met.  
"Where is he hiding?!"

The commodore with his armed men behind him only watched as Nami lowered herself to her knees. Squatting and rocking herself lightly as the man's outburst sent her into a frenzy of tears; the line lowering themselves lightly along with her so as not to choke against the collars.

'_He isn't hiding…!_' She cried in her mind.  
'_He's dead! I killed him… I killed Luffy…!_'

"Pick her up!"

Nami only let her weight be picked up by the enemy's hands as she hung her head low with falling tears. Giving up, she continued to remain silent as she let her body drape under the Marine's hands. Questions still being thrown out, she refused to answer and instead choke and spit out her tears as the voices became slow and silent in her mind. Her ears deafening as only one word and one voice spoke to her.

'…_Luffy…_' She cried in her ideas.  
'_…Luffy…!_'

It wasn't until she felt a hard, stinging slap cross her face did she again hear the commodore's boisterous shouts; the whole field silent as they watched his rage carry on and another slap cross Nami's face, and another, and another. The horses now held their neighs as their big, black eyes watched their human commodore spill out his rage through fists now; the giant beasts almost knowing that now was not the time to try to draw any attention onto them for fear of having that fist hit them instead. The dogs only whimpered quietly against the cold as their tongues dangled from their heavy pants, they too watched the beating carry on in almost understanding while the humans, in all insight, dared not move a muscle to their commodore's rage. Only turning their heads away as they watched the girl's face begin to turn black and blue.

"Where is he?!" He again cried, reaching now for Nami's hair and forcing her to look at him.  
"Where is Mugiwara no Luffy?!"

Nami could only wince in a daze as she felt the sudden heavy beating take its toll. Her head spinning as her mind blacked spontaneously when she tried to speak to the blurred voice.

"Sir!"

With another new voice speaking up, Nami instead closed her eyes and let her head roll against the Marines in back of her. Trying hard to invite some sort of sleep as her mind began to ache and tears tried to leak from her swollen eyes.

"We were just given direct confirmation from the one who sent us the tip on Mugiwara no Luffy and Dorobo Neko no Nami's whereabouts!"

Nami could only wince as she listened to the voice carry on. Too weak to speak, she could feel another heavy punch to her as she realized that someone had brought these men to her and Luffy.

"…and?" The Marine captain sneered.

"Doctor Mon. Tier, confirmed with us that both Mugiwara no Luffy and Dorobo Neko no Nami were in fact in his office only a few hours ago tonight."

Nami recoiled as she listened who the culprit had been. Perhaps money truly had been better worth to that doctor than Luffy's own life. She could feel a tear strolling down her face at the idea of such a thing. There was no doubt in her mind now that he had indeed let Luffy go on with the poison in his system so as to weaken him and bring him to his demise, and all for the sake of money. Had Luffy been any other man, civilian or marine, anyone than a pirate with a bounty, he would be standing by her side this minute.

"Luffy…" She again tried to speak.

"He has also confirmed with us that Mugiwara no Luffy was brought in with an excessive amount of poison in his system, and was also released from his office without any of the poison extracted from his body!"

"What is this? What is the point of him telling us all this?!" The captain growled.  
"Where is this pirate pig now if he was here?!"

"Sir!" The marine again continued, his voice lowering lightly as he spoke of their own defeat.  
"He also confirmed with us…with the amount of poison left in Mugiwara no Luffy's system…that there would be no possibility of him surviving from the amount of time between now, and from when he had last saw the two pirates."

Rolling her head lightly up, Nami watched with tears as the commodore quickly cried out before growling and staring back towards the snowy ground. His eyes moving in thought as the others waited for his orders.

"Luffy…" Nami again spoke out, the Marines words also affecting her as she realized there was indeed no more hope.  
"I'm so sorry."

"Commodore!"

With another voice calling out, one of the Marines quickly raced his horse towards the pondering, angry man.

"We can't continue the search any longer!" The one on the horse quickly spoke.  
"This heavy blizzard and cold will be the death of the horses and dogs! Us as well if we continue on!"

Nami pondered lightly at those words, wondering why the mention of the other prisoners around her was forgotten. Surely the ones famished and under-garmented would indeed be the first to fall from the winters' chill.

"Sir…it was said that there was no chance of survival of the Captain of the Mugiwara crew." The other marine spoke again.

"And yet we cannot find this so-called dead body!!" The commodore quickly retorted.

"The snow is thick commodore." The one on the horse spoke again.  
"The trees are many and vast. It would take days and time to search thoroughly."

"…Something we don't have the moment. Not when all these prisoners are needed to be taken in as well…" The commodore finished, his eyes again pondering in thought.

With his head heaving back up, Nami could feel his dark eyes and menacing grin on her; especially when she heard him speak again.

"We at least got one of them. The report a few days ago stated that the others are traveling separate, possibly ported at an island south of here…"

Nami gasped lightly at the words of her comrades' location.

'_Minna…._'

"And we at least know where the Captain of the whole crew could possibly hiding, or better put…where his body can be found."

Nami moaned in light anguish to his words, not wanting reality to her even more dead on.

"Alright men!" The captain finally called out over the winds.  
"We leave now for base! Let's bring these scumbags to justice! We run all night, nonstop! The sooner we get there, the faster we can return for a full search…"

Hearing the cries of approval from the other Marines, Nami quickly felt her arms being let go. Her body racing to the ground as she again felt the heavy collar, beating and fatigue of the night take its toll on her. Waiting to feel the soft snow under her, she instead winced as she sensed a hard, cold chest break her fall.

"Stay on your feet."

She again heard the voice behind her speak and soothe.

"We're going to run." He again spoke, trying to use his chest to bring her back up.  
"Just try to follow our pattern. You'll get it."

Nami moaned lightly as she opened her sore eyes wider, now supporting herself with a shaking body. She couldn't understand why she was trying to take in the man's words behind her and follow them; she wanted nothing more than to fall now and sleep forever. But with her mind now turning blank, and the tears coming out slowly and silently, she instead readied herself to follow this so-called run and pattern.

"Run with me…!"

Nami only blinked in a frown at those words. Never approving nor denying, and instead stared straight on as the Marines on their horses began to pile up behind all the prisoners.

"If our horses pass you, you'll be shot on the spot!" A few would yell as they galloped their way behind them.

Nami again only blinked at the threats, thinking of them more as a noble proposal than anything. She noticed how every line now stood themselves slightly tall to the calls; slouchers now rising to meet with the expected run. And with the sound of three whistles feeling the night air, Nami gasped lightly as she felt herself being pulled by the chain ahead of her. The collar doing its job to lead her in the same way someone would lead a mutt.

Jogging slowly still, Nami couldn't help but whisk her head as far back as possible. Again looking back to the tree-full, vast grave as tears again snuck their way out of her swollen eyes.

"Luffy…" She mumbled lightly, debating whether to try and call out.

Shaking her head, she knew her voice would not help in any way. There was only one reason, one purpose, to call out to someone, and she knew this someone would not answer. Instead, she slowly turned and lowered her head again; the chain in front of her pulling harder as the pace picked up.

'_Luffy._' She again spoke in her mind.  
'_Sayonara…_'

Were those truly the final words to tell a dead friend? Nami did not know. Could her final goodbye bring any comfort or just to herself? If it could, she would never realize it through the overwhelming guilt. So many things to say, but no one to say them to. A goodbye to last forever, though Nami still cried at how cruel and informal hers sounded. A horrible deed she had done, and all because she had chosen to leave a crew. Experienced with unforgiving deaths, and still she could only say one thing to the one man who had saved her, treated her as an equal, protected her, and loved her dearly as the true friend she was to him as he was to her.

Balling her fists through the tight straps, she again cried out to the sky as a familiar voice echoed in her head; the unwelcoming but lovable voice that had haunted her for weeks now, though this one was at its worse. With her cold feet crunching the hard snow as she ran faster and faster, trying hard to run from the voice as well, she staggered lightly as she heard it echo one last time.

"_Sayonara… Nami._"

* * *

For hours Nami marched without falter, tears still strolling down her face, it was easy to learn the running pattern of the line. Especially with the merciless marines behind them, it took her little time to get her feet and speed to match with the others; though, for what reason? She continued to question in her mind. Why was she still running? What was she running from?

'_Nothing…_' She continued to try and convince herself.

Telling her mind to just listen to her and let her legs fall. Indeed it seemed possibly easier to run than to fall in this situation. With the hounds released they too were relentless in their speed, trying their best to snap at ankles and get a hold of a fresh body of meat. They were indeed the kind of animals Nami had imagined Marines to carry with them, blood-thirsty creatures desperate to spill red.

"Faster! Move faster!"

Nami too could feel her body waking faster at the lasting rush; the speed itself making the blood in her veins heat and move within and warm her. She could hardly feel the heavy blizzard hitting her face on as her hands and feet began to blister. The Marines doing their part to help as well as they whipped their horses faster and faster.

"We'll shoot if we pass you!" They continued to remind.

Rifles at the ready, this was all the motivation anyone would need to pick their legs.

"Faster you worthless bastards!"

With the scene taking place, people could easily mistake the chained group and marines as a game of hunt. The small prey fleeing with fright with their lives as the horses carried the predators towards them. Though, this was not the case, and for Nami, it was much worse. And yet she could not get her body to comply with her silent pleas'.

'_If I just fall they'll shoot me…_' She continued to argue, though her legs would only move faster.

In darkness, Nami still continued to silently cry with quivering lips. Her eyes still swollen as beads of water enveloped her sight completely, blurring her dark world now even more and making her head spin faster. With explosions ringing left and right, it did not take her long to figure out where they had come from, why no one here would jump to their noises. Shots were echoing everywhere, some people could actually get their legs to give up and give out.

Some people here could actually choose death.

'_Lucky._' Nami would occasionally remark.

With their fingers on the triggers constantly, the Marines did not deprive themselves of this pleasure. In truth, no man could ever outrun a horse. With another shot stinging the air, Nami gaped lightly in question as her legs raced on. If it was lines of people chained together, how in the world were the dead bodies being taken off the collars? She knew from the speeding Marines behind her that they were not stopping to release anyone.

Surely now, she realized, with every shot fired a line was now dragging a dead body, or worse. Perhaps the line all together was shot down because of that one falling person. Because of the heavy snow and darkness, Nami could not confirm any of her suspicions. Her line now was perhaps one of the lucky few since no one had faltered…yet. Everyone chained together here wanted to live, minus her.

As Nami continued to race, she felt herself somehow turning in an empty shell. Only running, it seemed now something she was just born to do. The orders somewhat repeating in her head.

"_Run. Run. Run._"

Dragging the heavy collar on top of her along with tears and guilt, she could hardly believe how painless this had all seemed. But it was with these sudden thoughts that she realized how much pain she was now truly in, and again tried to forget them.

'_Don't think._' She now spoke in her head.  
'_Don't stop. If you can't fall then just run. Don't think about Luffy… Forget the pain… Just run…_'

With every word she could feel the weight of ache growing heavier and heavier. There was no way to be rid of the fault or captain any time soon. She would just have to endure and run with it.

And she hated it.

Near her, she began to hear the heavy pants of other men and woman. Lines racing along in darkness as the thuds in the dirty snow also grew louder.

Along with the shots.

For some time, the air again filled with the wind and pants. No shots ringing out in this hour so far as the lines began to draw closer together, though Nami did cringe when she heard one of the blood-lust beasts get a hold of one woman. Bringing the line down, she listened to the screams as she slightly saw the dogs in the black run their way to bring a whole line down. The Marines neither shooting to end their sudden fall from the dogs nor stopping. Continuing on, she had no idea whether they had run from the screams or they were ended from the wild mutts; the whole scene all together being forgotten by her as she again marched on in top speed as silence fell on them.

Perhaps it was the weakest to be rid of first. Maybe now she ran with the strongest in this pitiful group.

"Run faster!!"

With the tears slowing lightly, Nami could feel the chill around her begin to freeze the ones that were still streaming down her face; her body now shaking to the cold as she slowed lightly to cough out the pain in her chest. It was with this, she realized she had thrown the pattern of her line slightly off. All of them hissing as they listened to the horses steps trod closer behind them.

"Don't stop!"

She heard the man again behind her anxiously cry out. Nami tried to open an eye and match with the others feet as she continued to cough and sputter; his words reminding her as to where she was.

"A few more miles! Just a few more miles…"

Matching back with the group, Nami instead now closed her eyes and shut her lips to instead cough lightly in her throat.

"'atta girl."

The man again soothed.

"A few more miles and we will stop. They can't keep us running forever. Their horses get tired too."

With her feet again racing to his words, Nami again pondered as to why she continued on. When death was so close and so inviting, why did she instead race from it? To end the pain in her chest, this horrid running, the men chasing after her with rifles, why was she fleeing from it? The heart-filled ache of guilt, Luffy… Why did she run? To no longer feel, anything, no more pain!

'_Why?_'

Never realizing where her mind had gone, her legs continued on without another thought of the chill, or pain. She was no longer coughing out the cold in her chest. Without being truly conscious, was this how the others too continued on their hour-full, cold running? For Nami, she now felt as if she were running in her sleep. Though no dream would envelop, instead she thought of it all like a nightmare as another tear streamed down her face. She slowly shut her eyes, already the world around her was dark, and with her eyes shut this would be no different. And perhaps when she would wake, they would finally be at their destination or better. Sleep could perhaps engulf and lay her to rest.

'_Yes…_' She thought with shut eyes, her legs still moving.  
'_That would be nice._'

Like an endless road they carried on. Allowing themselves to be threatened and chased, though no one had spoken out in complaint. Everyone around, including the animals and marines, being dragged along in blind destiny. Everyone running with cold, numb limbs; throats parched, bodies' heavy, cold, famished, breathless and yet on everyone went. Forgetting everything in their mind except to keep their legs moving and not even once pondering as to why they should keep their legs moving. Perhaps death really wasn't the reason why these people ran. Perhaps it was now in their nature, their legs moving automatically, in spite of them…without them they moved.

It wouldn't be until another two hours before Nami heard the three whistles again ring out. And before she could ponder at the meaning of them, she quickly cried out as her line fell hard to the ground. Herself being choked and pulled along with them.

"Hehe."

She heard the light chuckle behind her. Jumping slightly as she felt the man's cold foot push against her back lightly.

"Sorry about that." He again spoke.  
"We forgot you're new to this. We've all been running together for days so we're used to this."

Though her mind questioned the sudden stop and fall, she felt herself in no mood to speak. Again recalling what had all happened, she felt silent tears resurfacing.

"Break time! Marines get tired too, we're just lucky to be any part of it." The man still answered her silence.  
"Ahhh! My legs are so tired…!"

Lifting her head lightly, she again saw as the other lines copied her own. Falling hard onto snow, everyone here engulfed the cold blanket below them. Its comfort more inviting than its chill was repelled. Everyone now took the opportunity to rest as the Marines tended to their animals feeding needs as well as their own. Though, not even a crumb was thrown to the so-called famished 'pigs' that lay emotionless.

Nami too let her head sink slowly to the ground, tears silently leaking out as she lay with an emotionless face.

"Hey…" She felt the foot once again jab into her laying back.  
"Get up, you'll freeze like that. You can rest, just rest with us."

Without speaking, Nami raised herself as she felt the four others shuffling all together in a circle; the chains forcing her to move along with them, though she made no effort to look at any of these poor souls in the eye. But as she huddled closer to the people next to her, she couldn't help but notice the small heat that erupted through the closed circle, and lowering her head to her knees, Nami again closed her eyes to invite sleep.

With fatigue engulfing her once again, Nami knew she no longer had the strength to get up. Surely it would be this spot where she would rest…forever. And with her weariness and guilt, she did not try to argue against the thought and idea; the snow was just too gentle, too warm, why had she thought before that snow would not make for a good long sleep?

"Hey…!" The man's voice boomed again, rubbing his shoulder to Nami's fallen head to wake her.

He succeeded, and Nami's red eyes widened as she felt the tears still pouring out. Something now that was truly out her control to stop. But she only continued to hide her eyes to her stomach, never looking up to the voice as her body ached from run and guilt.

"Don't fall asleep here." His voice was now damp with cold.  
"It's too dangerous… You might sleep for good."

'…_Exactly._' Nami answered in thought, again closing her eyes.

Get up? The idea itself seemed to lack anything but stupidity. Why was she to get up when her body begged for rest? How could she ever stand again from this new bed of hers? He was better off asking her to spin the world around. Even that seemed more possible than 'getting up'.

"I can tell you're alone now. You only keep your head down, you don't look for anyone." He again spoke, poking with his toe at her foot.

Nami gritted her teeth at his words, realizing that he was speaking to keep her awake. Though, she quickly shut her lips as the salty tears ran in. Why couldn't he bother with the others? They looked even closer to death than herself.

With the icy wind still gusting and chilling her body, she refused to answer to the man. Only keeping her head down as he continued on.

"No worries…!" He mumbled.  
"We'll be your nakama now. We'll watch over you…"

At those words, Nami slowly waited for her emotional reaction. Surprised lightly as she felt no change in her heart to his words, but she could swear these uncontrollable tears flowed heavily more now.

"Where do you think they're taking us?" Another voice in the line piped up.  
"Surely it isn't much farther we've been running for days…" Her voice again shook.

"Pah! Where else would they be taking us?" An older scruffier voice cried.  
"Prison no doubt! An execution waiting for all of us… You want to get there faster, why? Surely it's no better where we're going than it is here."

Nami blinked to the conversation, listening on now and forgetting of sleep.

"Can't be helped." The familiar male voice spoke again.  
"We're fugitives…This is the way we live."

"Can't complain though, it's what we chose." The scruffy voice called again.

"That's right." The other male cried.  
"No regrets!"

"A pirate's life is truly a life for me." The girl lightly chuckled.

"Right!" A new young male voice rose.  
"We knew it would end similar this way anyway… Though I wished it did involve less running."

Nami shuffled lightly to the young man's smile through his words. They truly held no idea at what torture and suffering she had been put through, and she couldn't help but feel awkward from it. Instead, she bit her lip. Trying to sink her teeth into it and have the warm blood wash away the freeze from her buds.

"What about you?" The man spoke again, poking at Nami once more.  
"No regrets, right?"

Nami only hugged her knees' tighter.

"Leave her alone… This is all new to her. The poor thing." The girl lightly spoke.

"Pah!" The scruffy voice sneered.  
"Poor thing? She's only had to run a whole night's worth, while we've been running for days straight. I'd say she is lucky than poor."

'_Lucky…?_' Nami thought quietly through her silent tears.  
'_There is no such thing…_'

"No one is lucky in this situation…" The man retorted.

"I wonder what crew she's from." The young man spoke again.  
"She doesn't seem to be the talking type."

"She'll open up. Right?" The man again spoke while poking at Nami.  
"No girl can resist my charm! Hahaha!"

Nami again shuffled and gaped as an eruption exploded around her. Laughter filling the winds air, as she lay in snow and tears. How was it these people could laugh? Surely they had no idea of the world around them, at how cruel it truly was. Even if death raced from behind them and blew in their faces, even if they had just run in it for days already, they would never recognize it. How could they understand her with her loss? She was truly alone in her plight, no one could understand.

She was truly lost, and all because of her own selfishness.

"Hey…"

Nami fidgeted lightly as she felt the man's cold breath tickle her ear.

"If you want to sleep you can. I'll watch over you… And when I want to sleep, you can watch over me, okay?"

Nami could feel the man's grin on her, though she did nothing to show that she had recognized it. Did he not understand that the sleep she desperately tried to cling to would not allow her to keep that promise? She instead ignored him, and breathed a sigh of relief as she felt him pull away without any words.

And again the group continued to converse, laughter filling the air lightly as Nami could wonder in her mind.

In what world were these laughs, grins, and smiles coming from?

With the question still in mind, Nami again was forcibly raised along with the group as three whistles blew again. Her tears and eyes again freezing as the snowy flakes hit her face on. The march was starting again, and Nami could only continue to cry in silence and emotionless as the question lingered again in her mind.

In what world did those laughs, grins, and smiles come from?

She could not believe in such a world anymore. It had to have been imaginary; there was just no true thing. Even as the Marines galloped back into place, crying out their warnings from before, Nami could only linger on that question. Not caring as her legs picked mechanically up again, not caring that the hounds were released and racing to snap at her, and not caring that she trotted on top of a few dead bodies now; a few of them being able to catch death while the man behind her had blocked her from it.

For what purpose had he done that for? What world was_ he_ in, where giving up was out of the question? Certainly not in or from hers.

Closing her eyes, Nami again begged for that everlasting rest to reach for while she ran with disobeying legs. Shutting her eyes from the cold snow, she blanked her mind. Running now in silence, and not feeling any pain. She could no longer hear any shots, perhaps the Marines had grown tired as well. Though, they were hardly needed as bodies continued with their fallings; the cold and fatigue reaching now after they had experience such a short but welcoming break.

Darkness consumed Nami, and soon the wind's howls fell silent as she felt her ears fill with the sound of her pants and beating heart. Still, she could not find that sleep she so longingly searched for. And for many hours more of running in silence, she still could not find it. Where had it gone? She wondered over time. Was it too lost in that imaginary world she had long forgotten? She did say she no longer believed in luck, and falling now was her true four-leaf clover.

"Luffy…" She whispered into the cold, eyes still shut.  
"Help me find it… Please, one more time…"

She could feel the tears pouring heavier now to her plights. How dare she ask the man, her captain, to help with her own selfish needs while she ridded him of his; tearing away his glory, honor and dream. Still, she could not help but call for one more selfish act.

"Luffy… Help me!"

"OH! I see it! I see the gates!" The man behind her cried.

Opening her eyes now, Nami could now see that morning had come. Though it still snowed, the sky was somewhat lighter with less flakes falling from it. In the distance, she could see two giant, gray buildings, both with an un-appealing and heart wrenching look. Though maybe only to the prisoners' eyes, the Marines instead looked overjoyed as a few galloped their horses faster and past the fugitives to meet with the giant gates sooner. Nami on the other hand moaned lightly in anguish as tears fell out. Truly luck was in another world. Maybe there too was where her cries to Luffy had gone.

For this was not the help she had begged him for.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine  
**By Seltap

"Line 'em up! Let's make this quick."

Nami hissed as she felt the chains in front of her forcefully dragging her past the tall, concrete gate. Like sheep, they were all being lined up and examined by there so called 'shepherds' who all wore the bold, blue words on them, Marine.

Nami merely peered for seconds at her new environment, passing one concrete gate to be greeted by another. Though, the large buildings passed that gate were tall enough to tower above the wall and it didn't take her long to figure where they were.

"Prison…" She whispered to herself.

Within seconds her head and eyes were back to the snowy ground below her, a light ponder occurring to her when she noticed no more tears escaped her eyes. That ponder turning into another question in her head.

'_Why do I no longer feel sad?_'

Nami only blinked in thought, drowning out the Marine's orders all around her as she instead listened to her own voice in her head. Trying to distinguish her emotions at the moment so as to act properly on them, until her eyes frantically darted across the ground when she could not sense a feeling within her.

'_Why,_' she cried in her head, '_can't I cry? What is this feeling?_'

Nami could feel her heart pace as she grew desperate to distinguish her personal 'views' on the events that had happened. Why was she there again, she had asked herself in hopes that she had not forgotten all that as well. Unfortunately, she was quick to remember.

'_That's right…_' Nami spoke in her mind, feeling her heavy breathing begin to calm.

'_I killed him._'

Nami raised her eyes to stare at the white clouds above her, never flinching as the icy wind and snow blew harshly down on her face. Though she had settled, Nami still wondered why no tears would escape her eyes at her selfish act. Why could she not cry for the young man's life, his glory and dream all stolen by her rash decisions? She could not even feel herself giving any sort of pity to his situation and it bothered her greatly.

She had been crying moments earlier, her heart heavy with sorrow and despair. The thought of killing off the only person who had set her free from her emotional cage, that was Arlong, had sent her through a wave of emotions earlier. So, why was it she could not feel anything at this very desperate hour?

She knew it was certainly not joy or happiness she felt for her savior's death. Even if she had somehow wanted him dead, his kind acts and selflessness deeds he did for her part would surely settle her with a heavy heart and guilt-filled feeling.

Yet, she could not locate any emotion.

Staring her bright eyes still towards the dark clouds she quickly decided that this feeling now, a feeling of nothing let alone one she couldn't distinguish, was the worse feeling in the world to her. This emotion made her feel so empty, so pitiful at her own self, so ashamed she could not cry for her lost captain.

It made her feel extremely lost.

"Luffy…" Nami mouthed, keeping her eyes towards the sky still.

She was oblivious to the souls around her, both Marines and prisoners. Nami did not watch as one by one prisoners were now being quickly examined, a few of them being separated from their lines while others remained, shaking were they stood. She had drowned out cries of anguish as a few prisoners fought back against the Marines, obviously aware at what decision had been placed on their life. She held no concern for herself or anyone else as the guards inched closer and closer towards her line, almost as if unaware or uncaring at what fate they would choose for her.

"Oi, what's your name?"

Though Nami made no attempt to turn her head or eyes away from the sky above, she mentally sneered. It seemed the man behind her would still not let up with his constant questions and words of encouragement for the poor girl. She was quick to tell herself that he had irritated her greatly during their march to this prison. Never letting her give up to bring herself to her knees. He had forbidden her to find eternal rest in the blanket of white and instead had brought her here. He had made her run, making sure she would no longer falter with her thoughts until she was where she was now.

He had refused to let her die and join Luffy, even though she begged for nothing more.

For that reason, he was an irritation to her. Where she wanted to give up, he would not let her and it bothered her greatly. So instead of giving in to his question, she remained still and emotionless. Never answering or giving any recognition that she had heard him.

"C'mon…" He spoke again, the smile and playful tease evident in his voice.  
"I just wanna know your name."

Nami merely blinked her eyes as the question passed her ears again. For what reason did the man behind her urge his curiosity? It was evident there was nothing he would gain by answering that question, so instead she remained silent. Her eyes and head finally falling as one Marine made his way to their line. The girl in the very front of Nami's line now being questioned, until she was un-chained and separated from them. Tears falling from her eyes as she seemed to accept her fate.

It was then Nami decided to listen in on what was happening around her. Her head and eyes falling as she focused towards the ground and listened to the eldest man in front of her answer the Marine's questions with venom in his words.

"Name." The Marine asked, a bored expression on his face as he went through his list to pinpoint the old man's name.

The marine only sniffed as he placed a finger on his parchment, his expression never changing as he spoke out the old pirate's fate.

"Pirate Olay Lu." He began, sniffing again before continuing.  
"A measly 5,000,000 beri bounty… Your captain was killed along with the rest of your crew. You are the only one left of your crew."

The old man in front of Nami merely sighed at the words, almost grieving at the remembrance of it all.

"You have nothing left." The marine again spoke, turning his bored eyes to the old man.  
"The only thing you have to offer us is that poor excuse of a bounty. Though, you know as well as I you're not needed to live in order for us to collect that money."

Taking in the silent command, two Marines marched passed the sniffling one. Unlocking the older male from his chains, and carrying him away from Nami and the rest of her line and pass closed gates. Surely a fate for him as the girl that was at the lead of Nami's line, as well as many others around her.

It seemed only a few now remained chained at their spots, Marines all around them with guns ready had they decided to act up. Nami half wondered yet half knew where ones like the old man and the lady were now being sent off to. Even though the truth was grim, Nami couldn't help but speak in her mind.

'_Lucky…_' She thought, hoping to now share the same deadly fate as them as the Marines stepped to face her.

"Name." He stated.

Nami never answered, merely keeping her head down in hope that this would somehow be view as an act of retaliation. She hoped those guns would be pointed towards her. She silently pleaded for those echoing bangs to be the last noises ringing in her ears. She begged to share the same fate she gruesomely did upon her captain.

"Please…" Nami whispered, her head hanging low.  
"Just kill me."

"Eh?" The Marine drawled, though he had heard Nami perfectly well.  
"Say that again, a little more loudly. I can't understand your mumbling."

A sinister grin spread wide across the Marine's face, his own gun now against Nami's head as he poked her lightly with it.

"Let everyone hear it." He grinned once more.  
"Bring their hopes farther down, and I'll end it for you…"

Nami didn't need a second thought as her pleas now seemed to be finally answered. She deserved death, that was without a question. She had killed the only man who had saved her, she deserved no right to be talked out of it or be forgiven for her action. She could and dared not face anyone, including her own crew.

She deserved the same fate as Luffy.

"Kill-" She began but was forced to stop as she felt her body begin to fall.

As her knees hit the cold, stone floor, she half wondered why her legs had given out that moment. But as the Marine beside her spoke and marched now to the young man behind her, she was quick to realize what had happened. It wasn't fate, but an act of the man behind her kicking her legs and bringing her to the ground to silence her.

Again, the guy behind her refused her death. Again, he saved her from ending all of her pain just to force her to live longer in this cold, grim, dreadful world, and with that thought Nami scowled with hate. Why couldn't he just leave her be?

"Well, well…" The Marine spoke, amusement now evident in his bored expression.  
"I thought even pirate's had a little more respect than kicking woman down."

With the Marine now focused on the man behind Nami, the young girl in front had nothing left but to listen on for his fate. Since he had stolen Nami's suddenly away.

"Name." The Marine began his routine again.

"Skip!" The man behind Nami beamed, his answer all with a smile.  
"Skipple P. Witz."

Nami tilted her head curiously as whispers began to echo all around her, most of them in surprise and shock. Whether it be from pirates or Marines all around her, it seemed the man behind her held a famous name.

"S-Skip?" The sniffling Marine repeated, his face in awe as he looked at the man, it seemed he too knew of Skip's reputation and legacy.  
"I-I…You…but…"

The Marine quickly coughed to regain his composure. It was with this Nami slowly raised herself back up from the cold ground, listening on as she hung her head.

"I thought I told you to spare no Akuma no Mi users." The Marine spat, facing his comrades.

'_Akuma no Mi user?_' Nami silently asked, wondering now why this Skip had not used his powers to escape before and even now.

"Skip… Don't try anything now, you cannot use your powers to gain anything. Including your life." The marine began again, his eyes narrowing and turning to the Marine thugs around him.  
"Take him. He has nothing to offer us as well."

It was with this Nami slightly raised her head. He too had grown lucky and now shared the same fate as the rest of her line. Only now she stood solo in the line, somehow this dark world wanted to torture her a bit longer. It had maybe decided that she still deserved to suffer for stealing her Captain's honor.

As Nami heard the chain rustle behind her to Skip's movement, something inside her stomach began to stir. She wasn't sure what it was, but her body it seemed was quick to react. She told her mind that this wasn't her, that she truly didn't care. She refused to believe she did this on her own and instead blamed her body upon acting on its own.

Whether it truly was Nami or just a subconscious act hidden deep inside her, the girl whipped her head quickly behind her and called out to the young man who had refused to let her give in her life.

"Nami!" She cried out, her lips rolling back as she realized her mistake before whispering it once again.  
"My name is Nami..."

Nami's eyes widened as she finally caught a glimpse of Skip. He was young, maybe a few years older than herself. His hair was a deep blue, and his body showed off his muscles. Though, none of that mattered now as he was being escorted to his fate.

Somehow, as he stared back at Nami's sudden outburst, she couldn't tear her eyes away from his giant grin. His wide, toothy smile reminding and replicating that of a certain captain she once knew. For a moment she swore she could see Luffy's smile and eyes within that young man, but as he spoke, Luffy's face quickly vanished. Though, Skip still held a heart-warming smile.

"Nami." He repeated, his eyes full of curiosity and delight.

"Like a little wave."

'_Little wave?_' Nami thought to herself, wondering why he had to emphasize 'little' to her name.

"Let's go Skip." One of the Marine's spoke, his hand resting on the young man's shoulder and ordering him to follow.

As soon as Nami realized her action, she quickly turned her head back down in front of her. Scolding and questioning herself as to why she had done that. How could that man hold so much power to bring her to do that? She quickly dismissed the idea as his footsteps disappeared.

It would no longer matter, his fate was sealed. As was hers it seemed as two other Marines marched their way towards her.

"Dorobo Neko no Nami." One of them spoke, watching as Nami moved none to his words.

"You're coming with us. It seems the Vice Admiral would like a word with you.

* * *

Nami kept her eyes firmly towards the red carpet they all walked on. Slowly her and her escorts, the two Marines, made their way down the decorated hallway. It was first stepping into this fine building that Nami now knew how foreign warmth felt on her body.

It had been quite some time Nami was privileged to actually have some sort of shelter around her. The winds cold breath now never reaching her neck as instead her body shook from uneasiness. It too seemed unfamiliar of the heat.

Her attention was brought back as one of the Marines knocked on the door they now stood in front of.

"Vice Admiral Rottweiler…" The Marine spoke, tapping against the door lightly.  
"Sorry for the interruption, but we've brought her like you've asked."

There was a long pause before an answer echoed through the door.

"Come in."

Nami only hung her head as the Marines literally dragged her seemingly lifeless body inside. She did not care now where she was nor who it was that had asked for her. So instead she remained distant and lost in her empty mind. Not caring at what was to happen to her life now, though she did still wish for it to end and soon.

"Sit her down."

Those words only passed Nami's ears and vanished like a breeze, her mind and focus still blank and the Marines lowered her to the soft, red chair. Merely watching her in light bewilderment at her lack of response, though the Marines simply stood back behind her to face their admiral as well.

A desk was what separated the pirate girl and Vice Admiral, though Nami still made no acknowledgment to him or to the surroundings around her. She merely kept her body slumped awkwardly in the chair and her eyes gazing to her feet. Her mind and feelings all empty at the moment.

'_Why can't I feel?_' Nami again questioned in her mind.

"Would you like some tea?"

With these words, Nami was finally brought back into the world she was now in. Taking in the voice in front of her she peered up slightly, watching as a cup was shoved gently across the desk towards her.

Nami's body shivered as she literally watched the steam uprise from the warm liquid, and licked her lips as she remembered how parched she was. How long had it been again since something warm had touched her lips? When was the last time she had quenched her thirst?

Nami couldn't help but lift a shaking hand towards the delicate cup, her cold body and dry throat begging for the liquid treat. But as quick as she was to lift to warm drink, she let it slip from her fingers. The glass cup breaking under her as hot tea began to stain the red carpet below.

The Marines behind her were quick raising their guns towards Nami, reacting as if her sudden action was some sort of disrespect or retaliation to their Vice Admiral. They brought their guns back down when their Vice Admiral raised a hand to cease them, his eyes after returning back to the slumped, shaking girl in front of him.

'_What were you thinking?_' Nami's mind screamed.

Nami couldn't help but shudder as her mind reprimanded her, the very thought of her taking a sip of that warm tea was unthinkable.

'_You don't deserve that tea!_' Her mind continued.  
'_Don't forget what you did to Luffy. Do you think you deserve tea while Luffy can no longer have any?_'

"…No." Nami mumbled.

Vice Admiral Rottweiler had to raise an eyebrow as the girl whispered, unsure if she was speaking to him. He remained silent as he continued to watch the girl, intrigue and curiosity getting the better at him.

'_You don't deserve tea, you don't deserve to be in this warm room… You don't deserve to even be alive anymore!_' Nami's mind again raced with words.  
'_How dare you try to even reach out for that cup. You don't deserve any kindness, especially from Marines!_'

"Sorry…" Nami whispered to herself, though the Admiral in front of her had heard it too well.

"It's quite alright." Rottweiler answered back, mistaking her apology.  
"I suppose we should just get down to business."

Pulling the tea aside, he did not pour Nami another cup. Fortunate for the girl's part. Instead he leaned forward on his desk, his face serious now as he stared at the pirate girl in front of him.

"Where is he?" Rottweiler spoke, no emotion showing in his voice.

Nami flinched lightly to the question, quickly reminded as to what she had previously done and why she was here.

'_They couldn't find his body…_' Nami spoke in her mind, grateful now that at least her best friend's body was spared from his enemies touch.

"Dead." Nami answered apathetically.  
"…I killed him."

Only when Rottweiler stood did Nami finally turn her eyes up to watch him. A heavy sigh escaping his lips as he stood from his desk to wander towards a window. His eyes following the snowflakes outside as he spoke.

"That's what I keep hearing. That the famous Monkey D. Luffy has died. Yet my men and dogs can't find a single trace of him in that forest."

Nami merely blinked to his phrase, unsure as to what this man now hoped to gain.

"I refuse to help you locate his body." Nami finally spoke.  
"I'd rather be shot dead than dragged back to that forest. I will not hand him over to you!"

Nami poured out whatever strength she had left in her weak body to that statement. Watching as the Admiral merely shook his head to her words, almost a small smirk emerging on his face.

"No." He answered as his eyes kept outside.  
"No, that won't be necessary. I know your captain is dead, that doctor confirmed it for me. He's not going anywhere anytime soon."

Nami slightly hissed to those words, still not wanting to accept the obvious.

"It's only a matter of time before we find it. Probably within tomorrow."

With another heavy sigh, Rottweiler turned back towards Nami. Slowly sitting himself back to his previous seat, and pouring himself another hot cup of tea.

"The question now is what do I do with you?" He spoke, his eyes turning away from his drink to stare into Nami's eyes.

As their gaze met Nami quickly hung her head. There was nothing worse he could do to her than death, and Nami openly begged for it. So her fate at the moment didn't concern her, she felt no fear or emotion as he spoke those words to her. His threat at the moment could not phase her.

"16,000,000 Beli." Rottweiler spoke with muse.  
"That's quite a bit a money, you fetch a good price."

"I'm not needed to be alive for that money." Nami retaliated.  
"I don't care about my life anymore."

The admiral chuckled lightly to Nami's proposal.

"True." He said.  
"Very true. Your comrades though may be willing to pay more for your safe return."

It was with these words Nami whipped her head quickly back up, wide eyes staring towards the Admiral.

"You have to understand, I'm a man of money. This facility, my men, we can fill more in our pockets than we can with your dead body."

"What are you saying?" Nami asked, her wide eyes slowing turning into a glare.  
"If my friends can somehow pay more than what my bounty is worth, you'll let me go?"

Nami watched as Rottweiler pulled out a quill and paper, slowly sliding it towards the pirate girl.

"As a man of justice, I can't say those words." Rottweiler spoke.  
"I can however send your message to them if you choose to live."

It was with those words Nami turned her eyes to the paper and quill presented before her. Pondering lightly at the thought of returning to her crew.

'_They'll never accept what you did to Luffy…_' Her mind sunk her decision in for her.

"That's right." Nami whispered to herself, her stare once again fading blank.  
"There's no way I can go back to them. Not after what I did, I don't deserve this option."

Turning her distant eyes back up towards the Admiral, Nami slowly pushed the parcel away from her.

"I refuse." She apathetically spoke, never flinching as she saw the Admiral's face fall.

"Is that so?" He asked, biting his cheek in thought.  
"Well then. I'll just have to ask your crew for you."

It was with this Nami's eyes widen slightly.

"You can't do that!" She cried.  
"My life is my choice!"

Rottweiler was quick to send a signal to his two guards. Both of them quick at snatching up the orange haired girl and dragging her away towards the door.

"I'll find Mugiwara No Luffy's body, and strike a deal with your crew for your life and the body of your captain." Rottweiler grinned towards Nami.  
"In the mean time, enjoy your stay here. Oh, and before I forget…"

The admiral was quick as he reached in his drawer, pulling out the object of desire and flinging it Nami's way. The guards released her arms as she reached to catch the object. Her breath drawing harshly back and choking on it as her wides eyes stared at the item in her hand.

"Luffy…" Nami hissed, her body shaking as she stared down to the familiar straw hat in her hands.

She had forgotten that the hat had been whipped from her head the moment the Marines surrounded her. She mentally scolded herself for forgetting her captain's most precious treasure.

"I'm sorry." Nami whispered holding the hat now tightly to herself as the guards again reached for the arms.

It was with this Nami could feel the despair washing through out her again, and she could feel that familiar burn returning to her eyes. No tears escaped from her eyes though, and again she wondered why she felt so lost in all this.

* * *

'_It's cold…_'

Nami slowly fluttered her eyes open, a white enveloping her eyesight. Her vision blurred, though she could feel the cold, hard ground under her.

'_What am I laying on? Where am I?_' She questioned.

Her eyes shutting once again as memories flooded back.

'_I must have passed out._'

Opening her eyes once again, Nami's focus was able to take in the steel bars around her. With a heavy sigh, the young girl closed her eyes again. Waiting, hoping still fate would help her out at the moment. Never did she stir again until an eruption filled the hallway.

Voices were murmuring, all of them women, and as Nami again opened her eyes she curiously watched as girls on the other side of the bars were scurrying to their barred up windows.

Nami sluggishly pushed herself slightly, peering behind her to take in her own caged window. Light flakes falling in as she made her way slowly towards it, curiosity getting the better of her in her little prison cell.

She stood on her tiptoes, her face barely reaching up towards the small opening. Yet she was still able to see, and it only took her eyes a few seconds to focus to the light on the outside world.

"That'll be our fate soon if our crew don't come and pay us out of here."

Nami listened to one of the girls on the other cell speak, her eyes as well locked onto what was happening outside. Nami blinked, spotting the girls outside. Each of them lined up horizontally with their hands tied behind their backs, blindfolds across all of their eyes.

Nami's eyes widened as she took sight of the Marines across from them, guns resting on their sides as they kept their heads up high and proud to this deadly action. It with this Nami was quick to decipher what was happening in this scene.

"Arms ready!"

Nami continued to stare as the Marines raised their rifles, each one pointing straight for the tied up prisoners. Their fate all about to end and imbed itself in her mind.

"Fire!"

Nami gasped as her view then was changed into pitch black, a small yelp escaping her lips as she felt her body begin to fall towards the ground.

"You mustn't watch!"

Nami cringed and rubbed her bottom at the impact of her falling back, turning her eyes towards the person who had blocked her view from witnessing death. She figured their deaths were not of importance or shock as prisoners in other cells merely turned from their windows, no sorrow in their eyes. Nami blinked as her eyes locked with green ones, a young girl with brown hair knelt down beside Nami. Her most distinguishable feature being her swollen belly.

'_She's pregnant._' Nami said in her mind, seeing that these Marines truly spared no one.

Nami was only brought back when she saw the girl place a hand on her belly, letting Nami know she knew of her obvious circumstance.

"I hope it's a girl. I know my captain would love that…"

Though the girl spoke with hope of conversation in her words, Nami simply lowered her body again to the hard, cold floor. Her eyes still distant and lost.

"I'm so sorry if I hurt you." The girl again spoke.  
"My name is Peaches."

Nami only lowered her eyes to the girls words, her arms wrapping the familiar straw hat against her chest.

'_Luffy…_' Nami whined, still unable to sought out tears to shed.

"I just didn't want you to watch. It can become pretty hopeless when you watch someone die in front of you." Peaches continued to speak.  
"Especially when it's someone you were just speaking to or becoming friends and close with… You can't give up on the hope yet that you will get out of here safe and sound."

'_I gave up hope a long time ago._' Nami secretly answered back, clinging harder on the straw hat.  
'_Death doesn't faze me anymore. I know of my fate already, and accept it._'

"Is your crew going to bail you from here…?" The young woman continued, one again placing a hand on her stomach.  
"If your in here with me that must mean you are."

Nami shut her eyes tighter at the thought of her crew peering down at her with accusing glares.

"They usually only put prisoners who are going to have the same outcome into the same cells." The girl continued, a light smile on her face.  
"It makes it easier for them when it comes to feeding time. The ones who are stuck here forever, they skip their meals usually all the time."

The young lady again picked up her head to watch Nami, seeing her clutch the straw hat even tighter.

"What's that?" Peaches exclaimed, scooting herself closer to Nami and pointing towards her chest.

It was with this Nami peered her eyes open and down towards the tightly clung on straw hat. It felt like a string of electricity shot through Nami's heart at the question, her breath coming out heavier as she answered and stared at the treasured item. As if it were truly a stupid question to be asking, though obligation course through Nami's body and mind, telling her she should continue to speak on about his legacy for however longer she had. Since it had been her who had stolen it away.

"L-Luffy's…" Nami breathed out, a look of light shock plastered on her face as she continued to stare at the hat.

Peaches merely tilted her head in question, unfamiliar with the name.

"Luffy?" She questioned.  
"Who's that?"

Nami crumple the straw hat lightly with her now tightening grip to that question, her body now draining with fatigue at the remembrance of her best friend and captain. She shook lightly as to why she could feel no grief or deep remorse for her actions.

"My captain." Nami whispered out, once again laying herself back down but this time placing the delicate hat over her face.

"Oh!" Peaches chirped, once again placing a hand onto her stomach.  
"So that's your captain's hat? He gave it to you? Perhaps you and him are close to one another like me and my captain."

Peaches smiled lightly as she looked down towards her belly.

"After all, he gave me something to hold onto too while I wait for him."

The two were quiet as one another drifted into their own thoughts. Nami's of despair while Peaches couldn't help but smile and rub her stomach as her thoughts passed through her.

"I love my captain, he's my everything and I him. Were lovers. How about you how close are you to yours?" Peaches asked, her smile falling as she took in Nami's silent and pitiful look.

Nami never answered the question, and telling herself not to ponder on it and she shut her eyes tighter. The straw hat still covering Nami's expression. Only after a few minutes of silence did Peaches finally sigh and scoot herself closer to Nami's head. Her hand found rest onto the girl's orange locks as a sad expression swept over her.

She finally understood Nami's silent anguish.

Slowly Peaches brushed Nami's hair in sympathy, speaking out one last time with words of encouragement before letting Nami silently rest for however long she wished.

"When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place."

* * *

**A/N: I update with a new chapter every few months. That being said, I'd recommend putting a ALERT+ subscription on this story if you wish to future read it. Thank you for your time and patience with me. ^~^**

**I truly appreciate all reviews given in the last chapter, as well as the Alert+ and Fav+'s. Thank you all so much and I can't wait to hear your input through reviews for this chapter~**


End file.
